City cruised into the final qualifying round of the FA Cup after overcoming a difficult opening spell at Lowestoft Town, two goals from Max Cornhill helping Glenn Pennyfather’s team to victory while Cliff Akurang, Kezie Ibe and an own goal also contributed at Crown Meadow.

 

High-flying Lowestoft of the Ryman League Premier Division moved in front through a Joe Francis stunner on 16 minutes, and Dale Cockrill netted from the spot a few minutes from time. But Chelmsford join the Blue Square Bet Premier sides in Monday’s draw, something which Pennyfather is immensely proud of.

 

“There’s the same two schools of thought that we had last year - do we want a big team away or one of the supposed ‘easier’ teams at home,” he responded after the tie. “Frankly I think we’ve got the goals and desire in our team to take anyone on. I’d like us to be at home, but I’m just pleased to be there.”

 

Stuart Searle returned as on-loan Colchester United goalkeeper Carl Pentney went back to his parent club. Meanwhile, wide man Joe Benjamin was selected in place of central midfielder Jermaine Brown. And they were forced to defend early on as Town’s Andrew Fisk curled high and wide in the 6th minute while Michael Frew wasted a great chance, rounding Searle and firing over with most of the goal to aim at.

 

Their bright start was then converted into a lead when Francis showed excellent chest control and an exquisite finish to bury the ball past Searle into the top corner just after the quarter-hour mark. But that prompted the Clarets to grow into the game and Akurang eventually responded with a strike at ‘keeper Andy Reynolds while a 33rd-minute pass across from Benjamin was just out of the striker’s reach.

 

With Chelmsford playing their football one division higher there was a shock on the cards until the game swung wildly in the visitors’ favour just before the break. A corner kick found Akurang unmarked in the 38th minute and he made no mistake in heading home. Then, just two minutes later, a dead ball delivery dropped to Cornhill who slipped it low into the net past Reynolds.

 

Lowestoft came out after the interval looking to recover, Matt Nolan striking well off-target, but they fell further behind as City hit their rhythm. Benjamin advanced at speed down the left and tested Reynolds but the custodian could only parry and Ibe picked up the pieces to turn home the rebound on 52 minutes. On the hour it was four, with Ibe again involved as he slipped the ball across and Fisk finished into his own net.

 

Town’s requirement to attack left them vulnerable in defence, Glenn explaining: “Once we got our third the game opened up a lot because they had to come at us and respond. We took advantage and made all the right decisions. From back to front our movement was great and our attackers caused them all kinds of problems with their pace.”

 

The game seemed to be reaching a natural conclusion until the referee surprised the spectators with a penalty decision as Cornhill was adjudged to have committed a foul in the home 18-yard box. Cockrill struck his left-footed spot kick confidently past Searle though Chelmsford responded within a minute through Cornhill again. Ibe teed him up on the edge of the area and he found the bottom corner with precision.

Pennyfather could then make initial plans for the Fourth Qualifying Round, adding: “For the first 20 or 30 minutes we seemed to have the journey in our legs and they were sharper than us. Apart from that we got our game plan spot-on and we knew we could create space in their penalty area with certain types of movement as we’d had them watched. After we got our first goal we never looked back.”

 

City:

 

1 Stuart Searle

2 Justin Miller

3 Aiden Palmer

4 Adam Tann (C)

5 Kenny Clark

6 Joe Benjamin

7 Ricky Modeste

8 Sam Corcoran

9 Kezie Ibe

10 Max Cornhill

11 Cliff Akurang

 

12 Warren Whitely (On for Benjamin, 74)

14 Jermaine Brown (On for Corcoran, 89)

15 Mark Haines

16 Ben Nunn

17 Tyrone Scarlett

 

Lowestoft Town: Andy Reynolds, Andrew Cave-Brown, Adam Smith (C), Stuart Ainsley (Dale Cockrill, 60), Matthew Halliday, Sam Gaughran, Chris Henderson (Adrian Forbes, 66), Andrew Fisk, Matt Nolan, Michael Frew, Joe Francis (Jamie Forshaw, 74). Unused Substitutes: Russell Stock, Jack Marsden, Scott Manning, David Chick.

 

Bookings: City: Corcoran (77, foul). Lowestoft: Smith (7, foul), Ainsley (40, dissent).

 

Referee: Wayne Porter (Bourne).

 

Assistant Referees: Colin Reeve (Huntingdon) and Richard Hart (St Ives).

 

Attendance: 1,065.

 

City Man of the Match: Kezie Ibe.