St Albans City are through to the second round of the FA Trophy after dispatching Tonbridge Angels 4-0 at Clarence Park.

The teams played out a goalless draw in Kent on Saturday which was marred by the sending off of Richard Graham in the third minute for an alleged elbow. But there was to be no such controversy on Monday as Saints put the Angels to the sword.

James Comley scored the first and set City on their way. The midfielder has been magnificent recently. albeit without scoring, but he needed a stroke of luck to open the scoring as he bent a corner straight into the net. The corner came about after great work from Lee Chappell, who was surperb throughout.

It wasn’t the most exciting first half with neither side creating many clear cut chances but Comley’s goal invigorated City who saw opportunites come and go for John Frendo, David Keenleyside and Mark Nwokeji.

The second goal looked on the cards in injury time when Frendo worked a yard of space in the box but he was pushed and went over. The referee waved away City’s protestations, though, and booked the striker for diving.

City more than made up for their lack of chances in the first half in the second period. Time after time City opened by Angels’ back line and Nwokeji was the first to profit. Comley won the ball in an advanced position before sliding a ball to Nwokeji, which was just out of reach of the out-stretched defender. Nwokeji calmly settled himself before placing the ball past Lewis Carey.

Saints’ third followed shortly after and it was Howard Hall who put the ball in the net. The right back started the move, surging forward before playing a ball down the wing to Chris Henry who found Frendo in the box. His shot cannoned off the post to Hall who smashed the rebound into the net.

At 3-0 the game was safe but Henry added a gloss to the scoreline. Chappell burst forward from left back before cutting the ball inside to Henry, who rolled his man before delicately stroking the ball into the far corner.

It was a scoreline that failed to flatter City who were the better side. Tonbridge, far too often, were content to hit long balls to Shamir Goodwin and Nathan Green, backing their pace against Ben Martin and Tom Ward, but it was a tactic that failed to work as Saints booked a place in the second round against Cambridge City.