REDDITCH arrived late at Rammy on Tuesday night and may well have wished they had not bothered as the home side produced a superb display to win 4-1 and progress further than ever before in the FA Trophy.

The Rams made it five games unbeaten as they set up a tie at home to National League North side AFC Telford United in the third qualifying round of the competition.

The visitors from the Southern League Premier Division – one step higher in the non-league pyramid than Ramsbottom – actually started the brighter of the two sides despite enduring a nightmare journey.

But once the home side had their noses in front, the result was never in doubt.

Just 16 minutes were on the clock when when Ryan Salmon flicked on a Grant Spencer corner and his header made it into the far corner.

A second goal followed on 33 minutes, when skipper Gareth Seddon held off challenges from two defenders before unleashing a terrific strike that flew past Redditch keeper Bradley Catlow.

Visiting player-manager Darren Byfield, the former Aston Villa and Walsall forward, came on for the second half but while the visitors put in more of a shift after the break the home side continued to be resolute across the park.

Whatever was thrown at them was well handled by a well-drilled defence, while Alex Meaney, Damian Green and Spencer produced workmanlike performances in the middle of the park.

Rammy's front two of Salmon and Seddon continued to cause problems for the midlanders and it was Salmon who again struck to put the game to bed on 74 minutes.

The former Bamber Bridge man stooped low to direct a header inside the near post from a Damian Green corner to notch his seventh goal from the last six games.

Meaney put more gloss on the performance in stoppage time, turning in the ball from 30 yards after an attempted clearance from the Redditch keeper landed at his feet.

Luke Shearer poked the ball home from close range for a late consolation for the visitors, who otherwise had a night to forget.

The Rams will now hope to make it into the first round proper when they entertain Telford a week on Saturday.

Before then, Rammy host Hyde United on Saturday, kick off 3pm.