Carlisle City moved through to the second round of the FA Vase with a fine 5-1 home win against Chester-le-Street.
They had begun the game extremely strongly and an early shot from Studholme was wide but, within two minutes it was 1-0. Kerr’s left-wing break and cross was finished by Studholme from eight yards out.
The visitors looked to respond quickly and City keeper Murray produced an astounding save, flying to his right to tip away Ward’s goal-bound effort.
This did mark a good spell for Town and a strong run from Akal took him into the City box before he was closed down. Bowman was also forced to clear a dangerous cross.
Irving fired over on 12 minutes but it was soon 2-0 with a fabulous strike from City skipper Simpson who latched onto a ball 25 yards out and dispatched his shot sweetly past the despairing Armin.
The visitors were still proving to be dogged opponents and they won three corners in quick succession midway through the half, although without forcing a chance from them, and Simpson headed the last one to safety.
Kerr almost latched onto a long Bowman pass after 27 minutes and, three minutes later, City added a third as a confident strike from Atkinson fizzed past Armin in the Town goal.
Longcake had been relatively quiet but a lovely piece of skill saw him pirouette around full-back Turns before seeing his shot blocked.
Kerr had enjoyed a fine half and the ex-Carlisle United man was just wide on 41 minutes as Cityn held a clear 3-0 advantage at the break.
City began the resumption on the offensive and a free-kick just outside the Town box produced an excellent save from Armin as Atkinson looked set for his second goal.
The incessant early pressure from City gained its reward as Kerr scored a deserved fourth goal, firing past Armin from 10 yards out.
The pressure continued and there was a bad miss after Irving did well to charge down Armin’s clearance, but Palmer’s shot was weakly struck, and cleared by Hepplewhite.
However, Palmer did not have long to wait to make amends as he fired in from point-blank range on 59 minutes to make it 5-0.
City had played some fine football at times and Simpson and Kerr linked stylishly in the 66th minute with the final cross flashing across the face of goal. Man of the match Kerr won a 68th-minute corner but his own delivery was poor on this occasion.
In the 75th minute, substitute Kelly had a chance to notch his first club goal but Armin saved well. Palmer fired well wide in the 80th minute and then Simpson’s cross was headed over by Kelly.
Town then had the slight satisfaction of a consolation goal in the 84th minute as Hepplewhite headed past Murray from 10 yards out.
