Alexander gets off the mark as Town cruise into next round

Town came from behind to overcame a youthful Stewart & Lloyds Corby side 4-1 in Tuesday’s first round tie and will now face the winners of the tie between Wellingborough Whitworth and Boston Town.

Steve Johnson, signed on a work experience deal from Mansfield Town, made his debut but Dan Childs missed out because of an injury picked up at Westfields while Robbie Parsons returned after serving a three-match ban.

On-loan Mansfield Town striker Jake Dumbleton forced the keeper to save at the second attempt and Ant O’Connor saved well from a close effort from Julio Lopes. Sam Jackson’s corner fell to Dumbleton whose deft flick was saved well by the keeper.

The visitors broke the deadlock in the 12th minute with Town committing players forward. The visitors broke and the ball was squared to Jack Rogers who made no mistake from ten yards.

Parsons had an audacious effort from 40 yards that went over the keeper but just wide of the post before Town equalised in the 21st minute. Parsons’ corner was met by a thumping header from Rico Alexander on the edge of the six-yard box which went in off the underside of the bar for his first goal for the club.

Alexander almost got his second goal when his shot was headed off the line and Tommy McGowan hit the bar. Town went in front on the stroke of halftime when Parsons was brought down in the box and got up to dispatched the ensuing penalty.

McGowan scored his first goal of the season in the 51st minute when he calmly chipped the keeper from the edge of the area. It was now fairly one-way traffic for Town and Jackson went close before Dumbleton added a fourth goal after being set-up by substitute Jordan Orosz.