Cambridge City stormed into the third round of the FA Trophy with a comprehensive 4-0 win over Hornchurch at Bridge Avenue.

Gary Roberts made two changes to the side which started the initial game at Milton Road on Saturday. Alex Fiddes was preferred to Richard Scott in midfield whilst Jon Stevenson started up front with Robbie Simpson on the bench.

The early exchanges did little to suggest the rout to follow, as both sides played the ball about carefully. Jean-Michel Sigere threatened early on. The lanky striker was just beaten to the ball by Lee Summerscales after Danny Hill had whipped a tempting ball to the back post. Sigere went on to figure in the next move as the home side looked for an early breakthrough. Danny Shipp squared the ball in the 14th minute and the former Rushden striker saw his shot deflected wide. A minute later, City created their first chance of the night. Good work by Jon Stevenson set up a shooting chance for Dale Binns out on the right of the area, but his shot went harmlessly wide.

City were beginning to swarm all over the Urchins and continued to take the game to the hosts. Stevenson was again in the thick of the action, his right wing corner was powerfully headed downwards by Dave Sadler towards Mickey Desborough’s right hand post and the keeper produced a decent save before Carl Williams could pounce on the loose ball. City were forcing Hornchurch very much onto the back foot, and from another corner, ten minutes later, City went close again. Stevenson, nominated for the taking of set-pieces in the absence of Scott, floated in the flag kick from the left, Desborough flapped at the ball and it somehow eluded Glen Fuff as he arrived at the back post.

Attention briefly switched to the other end as the Urchins attemped to stem the flow. David Hicks saw his rasping 25-yarder fly wide of Duncan Roberts’ goal. On 34 minutes, City won a free-kick just outside the area. Up stepped Stevenson to send a dipping effort goalwards which Desborough did well to athletically tip round the post at the expense of a corner. Stevenson duly delivered another corner right into the danger zone and Sadler was on hand to sweep the ball, first time, high into the net giving the Hornchurch keeper no chance. The home crowd were stunned into brief silence but it was no more than City deserved, and they went on to maintain their supremacy over the hosts as the first period drew to a close. Rob Miller was next to test Desborough in the 38th minute. A neat turn, completely losing two defenders in the process, and shot produced a full stretch save from the goalkeeper. Two minutes from the break came yet another scoring opportunity. A swift breakaway down the right flank, led by Williams, produced a teasing ball across the face of goal which both Stevenson and Fiddes just failed to convert. The resulting corner was headed forcefully at goal by skipper Matt Langston, and Desborough saved well at his left hand post, and in doing so prevented Williams from scrambling the loose ball over the line.

For all their dominance City only had only one goal to show for their first half endeavour and they were nearly caught out by a sucker punch shortly after the break. Roberts had to get down smartly to his left to deny Sigere after the striker had been put through by Hill. A minute later, disaster struck for the home side in the form of a calamatous own goal from substitute Nathan Phillip. Fuff’s long clearance bounced harmlessly inside the Hornchurch half and the hapless Phillip, in looking to cushion a header back to his goalkeeper, succeeded only in planting the ball into the back of the net. Delight for the travelling supporters as the home fans looked on in disbelief. Two minutes later, the game was effectively ended as a contest. Another Jon Stevenson corner pinged around alarmingly in the Urchins penalty area and the ball eventually arrived at the feet of Fuff, and the centre-half experterly guided his shot around the defenders and beyond Desborough’s reach.

At 3-0, City were out of sight, and manager Gary Roberts decided to ring the changes. Firstly, Simpson replaced Sadler later to be followed by Scott and Gash in place of Williams and Stevenson. Hornchurch, to their credit, attempted to rally. Backed by a monotonous chant of “Gary Hill’s red and white army” which was to last the rest of the game, Phillip’s punt upfield was flicked on by fellow substitute Greg Ngoye, presenting a shooting chance for Sigere which he blazed over the bar. Simpson could have added to the Urchin's gloom in the 68th minute running onto Millers throughball, the substitute outpaced the tiring home defence but lashed his shot into the side netting. Miller then scooped an 83rd shot disppointingly over the bar after being picked out by Binn’s accurate cross from the right.

Soon after, City made it 4-0. Substitute Michael Gash’s pace and movement was all too much for Phillip down the right wing. His pefectly played square ball was gathered by Fiddes who was on hand to complete the rout with a crisp turn and shot past Desborough’s despairing dive. The visitors might not have wanted a replay just days before the big game with Milton Keynes looming, but in the end it turned out to be more comfortable than expected. City advance to the third round, and an away tie at fellow Nationwide South side Redbridge.