City made their superior class tell as they saw off Southern League Cinderford at the second time of asking to secure a home tie against Hornchurch in the next round of the FA Trophy.

Gary Roberts made two changes from the team which started Saturday’s game at the Causeway Ground, Lee Summerscales coming in at left back for Lee Chaffey and Michael Gash partnering Robbie Simpson up front allowing Dale Binns to revert to his familiar left sided role with Rob Miller dropping to the bench to accommodate the switch. In addition the Milton Road faithful were given a first chance to see new signing Alex Fiddes who made his debut at the weekend after joining from Redbridge.

Visiting boss Michael Cook, whose preparations can hardly have been helped by an extremely late arrival, replaced Chris Addis with Byron Ranford at right back and brought Clayton Hook into midfield at the expense of Rhys Jones.

The Lilywhites made their intentions plain from the outset, getting the ball down and using the full width of the pitch. With only three minutes on the clock Dale Binns whipped in a low cross from the left with only the timely intervention of Matt Aubrey denying Robbie Simpson at the near post.

At the other end centre forward Adam Hemming showed good close control on the Cinderford right and worked space for a shot from the edge of the box but the strike lacked the power to trouble Duncan Roberts.

More good build up down the left saw Dale Binns work the ball back across field to the right hand side where Craig Pope’s deep cross found Michael Gash but the teenage striker’s header was comfortable for Andy Fisher.

With the pressure mounting on the Cinderford back line Richard Scott played the ball inside Byron Ranford allowing Binns to find Alex Fiddes inside the box, his neat lay off to Gash created the space for a shot on goal but this time it was Will Steadman on hand to block from point blank range.

With Binns a constant thorn in Cinderford’s side the fleet footed winger again rounded Ranford before sending over a cross that found the advancing Carl Williams but under pressure the former Hitchin midfielder failed to trouble Andy Fisher unduly.

Somehow the pace and movement of the City frontline still failed to deliver the elusive opening goal. A sublime one-two between Simpson and Binns saw the ball flash across the six yard box with no-one on hand to apply the finish.

Dale Binns endeavours in the opening stages were deserving of a goal but he scorned a golden chance to open the scoring midway through the half. Craig Pope’s raking free kick from wide on the right eluded the entire Cinderford back line and travelled all the way across the face of the box to Binns but with ‘keeper Andy Fisher committed and out of position the former Hendon wide man took the ball early and fire inches over the unguarded net.

Richard Scott then delivered another free kick from the right, this time picking out Matt Langston who rose at the near post to send a powerful header narrowly wide.

With just over half an hour gone City at last gained the vital breakthrough. Yet again Scott exploited Binns’ pace down the left, taking Ranford completely out of the game with a driven ground pass. This time the winger produced a much better strike, firing in low and hard at Fisher’s near post. The former Newport County stopper got down well to block but could only parry into the path of Michael Gash who coolly guided his shot around the gaggle of defenders scrambling back to cover and into the far corner of the net.

The Lilywhites were content to take the heat out of the game for the remainder of the period but were nearly made to pay some forty minutes in when more good work by the impressive Hemming, this time down the left hand side, created a crossing opportunity for Jamie Hammonds whose accurate centre found Andy Hoskins who rose highest in the box but angled his header wide of the target.

At half-time Michael Cook withdrew Ranford, who had endured a torrid 45 minutes at the hands of Binns, replacing him with Rob Cruse.

With City slowly out of the blocks Hammonds’ cross from the left again found Hoskins who rolled the ball across the face of goal but luckily for City the attack was too swift to allow for support to arrive and the danger passed.

As play switched swiftly to the other end, Alex Fiddes, making a tidy contribution in midfied, at first lost the ball to Cruse before winning it back on the edge of the area but Fisher was off his line smartly to block from point blank range.

A purposeful run from Hemming then saw the former Gloucester City striker round Glen Fuff and pull a dangerous low centre across the face of goal but yet again the lack of effective follow-up allowed the ball to travel unhindered to safety.

Robbie Simpson then combined with Michael Gash allowing the latter to hold off Aubrey and fire in at Fisher from an acute angle, the ‘keeper parried well but the alert Gash was on hand to follow-up, squaring across the box for Binns who steered a low drive narrowly wide.

With the hour mark approaching City netted the vital second goal that gave them some much needed breathing space. A neat passing move down the left saw Dale Binns with the ball at his feet and with space in front of him. Spotting the run of Carl Williams from the opposite flank Binns squared invitingly into his path. Williams took the pass in his stride and hit an unstoppable rising drive towards the top left hand corner of the net, Fisher did well to get a hand on the ball but had no chance of keeping it out.

Whilst the goal undoubtedly took the wind out of Cinderford’s sails there was no drop in their work rate and no hint that they would cave in under the pressure on their goal.

With thoughts starting to turn to Saturday’s FA Cup tie Gary Roberts withdrew Alex Fiddes and introduced Rob Miller. The former Bedford midfielder had only been on the pitch for some three minutes when he effectively ended the game as a contest by netting the third goal. Craig Pope’s ball in from the right appeared to be under-hit but Will Steadman somehow managed to play all around it allowing Miller to pounce and angle a clinical shot on the turn past Fisher’s outstretched right hand and into the bottom corner of the net.

Making an influential contribution Miller then turned provider releasing Binns through the inside left channel with a reverse pass. Desperate to get on the scoresheet himself Binns unleashed a blistering drive but the resilient Fisher stood up well, saving impressively at the expense of a corner. It was to be Binns’ last contribution of the evening as he was withdrawn shortly afterwards to be replaced by Dan Talbot.

There then followed the one unsavoury incident of the evening. As Glen Fuff carried the ball out from the back he stepped inside Steve Lutz only for the visiting skipper to go straight through him with an ugly challenge. For a few anxious moments it appeared City might be robbed of another key player ahead of Saturday but fortunately the former King’s Lynn central defender recovered after treatment. Lutz escaped with a yellow card.

Either side of two substitutions made by Cook in an attempt to introduce some fresh legs Dan Talbot received a pass from Richard Scott and cut inside from the left, going past two players before firing in powerfully from the edge of the area and forcing an unorthodox one-handed punch from Fisher, the loose ball looping back to Robbie Simpson but the teenage striker was unable to generate the power in his header to beat the ‘keeper.

With City’s foot well and truly off the gas they allowed the visitors a late consolation goal. Some less than decisive defending resulted in a free kick being conceded on the edge of the area in a central position. Rob Cruse stepped up to the mark and curled a text book strike around the wall and beyond the despairing grasp of Duncan Roberts to make the unenviable journey back to Gloucestershire slightly more bearable.

There was still time for Michael Gash to round off the evening with his second and City’s fourth when neat interplay between Talbot and Miller sent him clear through the inside right channel but with time and a choice of options he produced something between a shot and a cross which drifted wide of the target.

From City’s point of view job done and a timely confidence booster ahead of Saturday from an extra game they could well have done without. Gary Roberts will be hoping that all those on duty will report back with a clean bill of health ahead of the weekend.