VIDEO: Dunstable Town hit Hertford for six in FA Cup

Ten-man Dunstable Town eased through to the first qualifying round of the FA up with a convincing 6-0 win at former Molten Spartan SML compatriots Hertford Town.

Hotshot striker Lee Roache was the star of the show with four goals as both sides finished the game with a man sent off.

After continual pressure and many near misses the first goal came after 25 minutes when Nathan Frater’s free-kick found the bottom right corner, after a foul on Roache just outside the area.

Although dominating, Dunstable suffered a setback just before half time when keeper Jamie Head was shown a straight red card for a professional foul on Hertford striker and skipper Anthony Anstead.

Leon Cashman picked up the keeper’s gloved and, although he performed well, he had little to do as kept a clean sheet.

And the Blues doubled their lead on the stroke of half time when Roache chested home another Frater free-kick for the first of his four goals.

Roache netted his second 10 minutes into the second half before numbers were evened up when Tommy Wade was sent off for a handball in the area and Roache completed his hat-trick from the spot.

The Town hitman then added a fourth on 76 minutes when Harry Ricketts could only parry his initial effort and Roache was on hand to head home the rebound.

And late in the game Damen Pickering’s cross from the right enabled substitute Danny Murphy to score at the far post with an angled shot to cap a superb display.

Director of football John McLoughlin added: “We felt that we had to be at our best as Hertford was a potential banana skin but we were simply brilliant.

“Lee Roache netting four goals was a great achievement and Damen Pickering assisting three of the goals was outstanding.

“I felt Jamie Head’s sending off was harsh, but we should not have put him in that position, but that was the only mistake of the game and Leon Cashman was the first to volunteer to go between the sticks and that shows the character of everyone at this club, they will play anywhere.

“Unfortunately for Matty Nolan we had to change the way we set up in the second half so we had to sacrifice a striker.

“With performances like this we have headaches every game.”

This Tuesday Dunstable host Potters Bar Town in the league and on Saturday go to North Greenford United.

Blues: Harry Ricketts, Da’Jour Buffonge, Tom Querry, Bradley Fraser, Tommy Wade, Kardan Campbell, Sean Stock, Sam Ruff, Danny Charles, Charlie Smith, Anthony Anstead (C). Substitutes used: Tegana James, Jordan Fletcher. Substitutes not used: Jahbez Essoo-Snowdon, Ini Amaegbe, Harry Sedgley.

Blues: Jamie Head, Damen Pickering, Leon Cashman, Joseph Bruce, Marc Leach, Moses Olaleye (C), Adam Watkins (Warren Plowright), Nathan Frater, Lee Roache, Matt Nolan (Danny Murphy), Tony Burnett (Chris Marsh). Substitutes not used: Tony Fontanelle, Taishan Griffith.

Referee: Ellis Clark.

Assistant Referees: Lukasz Kowalewski and James Wetherall.

Attendance: 144.

Star Blue: Lee Roache. Brilliant four-goal haul.