BLACKFIELD & Langley recruited the help of ex-Reading star Trevor Senior to give them the inside track on FA Cup opponents Highworth Town.

But, in the end, the Watersiders didn’t really need it as they swept the Hellenic Premier visitors aside 4-0 at Gang Warily to book a first-qualifying round tie against either Alresford Town or Sherborne who drew 2-2.

“Chris Farrell (B&L’s assistant manager) got in touch with Trevor because he knew a bit about them and Chris gave me a rundown,” said Blackfield boss John Robson.

“I was told their two front lads were superb and we had a training session on Thursday to go over what we needed to do better but, with all due respect, their forwards never got a kick.”

That was due in no small part to B&L’s central defensive pairing of ex-Saint Kevin Gibbens and new signing Sean Thurgood from Hayling United.

Robson goes back a long way with Havant-based Thurgood, having got him into AFC Wimbledon as a youngster.

He said: “Sean’s a quality player and I brought him in to fill the gap left by Joey Byrne, who’s got a dislocated shoulder and we’re talking six weeks out.

“I threw Sean in at the back alongside Gibbo, who's absolutely brilliant at this level. They’re two blokes with good footballing brains who I knew could use the ball well.

“We were absolutely superb on Saturday and scored some very good goals.

“Their manager said afterwards that we were a hell of a side and he was surprised when I told him we had four out with bad injuries.

“Jack Satterley, Nick Tayler and Kane Daysh are still out and our goalkeeper Gareth Barfoot is playing with a slight injury, so I’m hoping to bring in (ex-Follands) ’keeper Nick O’Donnell as his understudy.

“We’ve also lost Neil Williams, who’s gone back to Bemerton, so young Josh Hanratty, who’s a holding midfielder, played at right-back.”

It was targetman Jamie Musselwhite – just back from a fortnight out with ankle problems – who got victory under way with the first two goals.

Young then finished off a superb passing move to make it 3-0 before substitute Danilo Cadete put the icing on the Blackfield cake.

“One of their guys said he’d be happy to see our third goal on Match of the Day and watch it ten times over!” smiled Robson. “We rolled the ball out to Josh Hanratty and played ping-ping football right down to the other end where Danny picked his spot.”

Blackfield go to Brockenhurst in the Hampshire FA Senior Cup on Wednesday before visiting Robson’s old club Winchester City in a league humdinger on Saturday.