EARLSWOOD progressed into the second round of the Smedley-Crooke Cup thanks to a comfortable 3-0 victory on the road at Northfield Town.
The visitors were first on the attack and Jon Farley missed an early chance when he was put through on three minutes before four minutes later Matt Powell headed wide.
The breakthrough came on 13 minutes when Chris Morrison got on the end of a long free kick before firing low past the home goalkeeper and former Earlswood star Keithh Rosthill.
On the half-hour mark the hosts fired a free kick over the bar while at the other end Fitzgerald shot over after being put through on goal.
Earlswood went further ahead after 36 minutes when Matt Powell headed the ball out to Bradley Hall on the right flank and after taking the ball on a few paces he beat Rosthill with a low shot.
There was still time to make it 3-0 before the break when Tom Weaver rose highest to Bradley Hall’s cross and his header was too powerful for Rosthill.
After the break Earls picked up where they left off but seemed to sit back more which allowed Northfield to create more chances.
The visitors had a chance to reduce the arrears in the 54th minute but their forward hesitated and allowed Gareth Davies to intervene before he could shoot.
At the other end Morrison was put through on the right by Dunkley but his shot just cleared the angle of the goal and substitute Cordell White was a danger down the left after replacing Morrison.
In the 73rd minute the Northfield keeper was caught outside his area as he came out to clear and a defender was alert to the danger to clear Bradley Hall’s shot off the goal line.
Five minutes from time White met a pass out from the right with a hard volley which Rosthill did well to stop and in the last minutes Matt Powell headed wide from a corner.
In the next round Earlswodd will entertain first division outfit Pilkington XXX.
