RAMSBOTTOM United made it 10 games unbeaten under new boss Chris Willcock and booked a place in the third qualifying round of the FA Trophy with a comfortable 5-1 victory over Yaxley on Tuesday evening.

Winger Nic Evangelinos grabbed his first hat-trick for the club in a brilliant performance for Rammy as their superb form continued.

The Rams made just one change to the side that won 1-0 at Colwyn Bay on Saturday with the cup-tied Joel Bembo-Leto replaced by Ryan Ellison.

They came straight out of the blocks as Evangelinos’ effort was tipped onto the bar by Yaxley keeper Oliver Sutton.

But, moments later, Rammy did edge ahead.

Evangelinos was brought down in the box and Nialle Rodney tucked home the ensuing penalty.

A flurry of chances then came at both ends. Yaxley’s Daniel Cotton provided the biggest threat, but he fiered high after cutting past Tom Kennedy.

After Rodney and Anthony Donaldson blew chances to double the lead the visitors levelled. Cotton again proved troublesome down the right, and his cross was turned in by Rammy’s diving centre-back Luke Thompson.

Thompson’s own goal was unfortunate but they continued to pose a threat up front as Rodney, Donaldson, and Ruben Jerome caused havoc.

Despite hitting the woodwork several times the hosts could not turn their dominance into any further goals. That was until Evangelinos got in on the act with his first goal on 36 minutes. His first attempt came back off the bar but he was quickest to react and make it 2-1.

The killer strike came on the stroke of half time, Evangelinos driving in from an angle.

The second half was somewhat one-sided as Donaldson was denied by Sutton and a Rodney effort was chalked off for offside.

But, on 61 minutes, Thompson made amends for his first-half mishap with the fourth goal.

And Willcock’s men in blue made it five 10 minutes later, Evangelinos scoring his third goal to start a ‘keep-ball’ exercise for the home-and-dry hosts, who go to Pickering Town on Saturday in the next round.

“The players have settled into the club very well,” said Willcock. “They are trying to take on board the philosophy I’m trying to encourage them to have and as you can see it’s working out very well on the pitch.

“To take the lads to Wembley will be a tough ask in this competition, a really difficult task when the Conference and Conference North teams come into it.

“But can we take the team a couple more rounds? I’d like to think so.”