Dudley double sends Rammy through to next round of FA Vase

The win ensures the Rams will be in the hat for the second round which takes place next week, and keep hopes alive of making it all the way to the showpiece final at Wembley next May.

Steve Wilkes made one change to his starting line up from the win against Barnoldswick Town during the week, with Tom Walker coming into midfield to replace rested top scorer Jacob Holland-Wilkinson.

The visitors from the Northeast, unbeaten in 11 games coming in to the game, had high hopes of causing a cup upset against higher league opposition and started the game with confidence, but were nearly undone by an early Oscar Radcliffe cross which Matt Dudley stretched for, before goalkeeper Jak Wells was able to gather. This was to be a theme of the game, with Radcliffe proving to be a menace down the right wing all day.

Tempers threatened to boil over in the opening minutes as Rams captain Andrew Teague was penalised and cautioned for a foul on Jarrow’s imposing number nine Joe Bates, who moments later exacted revenge for another late challenge which referee Tom Crossland punished with a second yellow card inside the first six minutes.

Following those early flash points the game settled into a rhythm with the Rams asserting a level of control over the game which Jarrow never overcame. Another close-range chance fell to Dudley in the 18th minute which Wells smothered, but it was in the 25th minute when the deadlock was broken, as an in swinging corner from Maine Walder caused confusion in the Jarrow box.

The Rams, and the Jarrow defenders thought the ball had crossed the line, and while the players looked at each other and the referee, defender Luke Barlow made sure with a cool low finish to give the Rams a deserved lead.

In a farcical moment which followed, Harvey Whyte was shown a yellow card for allegedly removing his shirt in celebration of the goal. In reality he was simply removing his underskin but referee was having none of it.

The home side controlled the remainder of the first half but were a touch fortunate to escape punishment when one of the visitors’ attacking players appeared to be pulled down inside the penalty area as the half drew to a close. The appeals were waved away by the match official, and the Rams made it to the break a goal to the good.

The hosts picked up where they left off early in the second half, wasting no time in doubling their lead as the impressive Dudley got on the end of a precise Harvey Hayhurst cross following some excellent hold up play from the influential Luke Sephton. It was no more than the Rams deserved for their dominance up to that point, and Dudley’s goalscoring exploits were not finished there.

The visitors struggled to build any attacks of real potency, and the gulf in quality was showing as the Rams continued to knock on the door in search of a third, with Sephton almost rounding Wells before the keeper managed to get enough behind the ball to avert any further damage.

And as the travelling Jarrow began to tire, Radcliffe took full advantage, once again breaking down the right wing and pulling the ball back for the waiting Dudley who made no mistake from a few yards out.

The only negative for Steve Wilkes to ponder was a late injury sustained by Hayhurst which ended his afternoon early in the 85th minute. He came off the worse from a heavy challenge with a Jarrow player, and thumped the ground in pain clutching his lower leg. Wilkes will hope it is not too serious given how important Hayhurst is to this Rams side.

New loan signing Aaron Bennett should have added a fourth in the closing moments but his low shot was saved well by Wells.

The victory means the Rams will be in the draw for the second round, while Jarrow will head back to the northeast to focus on their league campaign where they currently sit in sixth place.

Next up for the Rams in a string of home fixtures, they host Glossop North End on Tuesday evening, followed by a visit from Abbey Hey next Saturday.