FARNBOROUGH strolled into the next round of the Hants Senior Cup with a comfortable 6-2 win over a hapless Newport IOW side.

When Newport arrived at Cherrywood Road without their kit for this clash the tone of the evening was set, and the game resembled a training match at times as Boro cut through the Islanders’ defence at will.

In the end Newport turned out in Boro’s away strip, but that was as close as they got to their hosts as two goals apiece from Marcus Richardson and Mark Gamble, and one each from Ray Spence and Lewis Dark ensured the visitors conceded six goals at Boro for the second time in just over a month.

Dark and Gamble were the only changes to the side that lost to Windsor on Saturday, but Boro started badly and were guilty of being too casual in defence..

On nine minutes they fell behind when Sean Thurgood was caught on the ball at the back.

Newport’s Moussa Mamabou squared the ball for strike partner Steele Saunders who was left with a simple tap in.

Boro had to wait until the 27th minute for the equaliser, but when Dark’s effort from the edge of the area was parried Richardson reacted quickest to react to slam home the rebound.

That goal opened the floodgates and Boro were ahead four minutes later.

Nic Ciardini set up Dave Woozley from a freekick, and when the skipper scuffed his shot Richardson reacted quickest to nod his second past the despairing Newport keeper.

Almost from the kick off it was three, when neat play between Spence and Sam Carter on the right allowed Ciardini to shoot.

His effort was saved and Gamble was on hand to slam into the top corner for his first goal for the club.

Boro continued to dominate, with Spence enjoying himself on the right but not quite finding the killer ball.

While his passing wasn’t quite on the mark, Spence showed he was having no such problems with his finishing just before the half time.

Ciardini’s corner evaded everyone and Spence leapt into an acrobatic volley at the back post that flew into the top corner for a stunning fourth goal.

After the break it was Newport who scored the next goal in the 53rd minute, after Woozley was harshly adjudged to have pulled back his man in the box.

Steele Saunders stepped up and placed his penalty under Lyall Beazley’s dive for his second of the day, but that was the last time Newport would trouble the Boro goal.

In the 76th minute the inevitable fifth goal arrived, when Gamble cut in from the right and gathered a return pass from Richardson before slotting his second of the day past the keeper to round off a stunning move.

There were further Boro chances before Spence played a one-two with substitute Rob Saunders down the left in the 89th minute.

He pulled the ball back and when Saunders stepped over it Dark was on hand to drill a low strike into the bottom corner to seal a good victory.

For the full match report, stats and reaction see this Friday's Aldershot News.