MINEHEAD took their cup match on Saturday by the scruff of the neck and romped to a 6-0 win at home to Castle Cary.

They hit the ground running from the first whistle and went ahead with just four minutes on the clock when Aaron Ireton’s cross was nodded home by Damion Redman, making his first competitive appearance of the season.

A similar move, again instigated by a midfield pass from Stefan Phillips, saw Ireton’s cross just evade the on-rushing Redman.

With Minehead dominant, Phillips skipped past a defender but saw his curler from the edge of the box go a foot or so too high, and he then provided a through ball for Redman, whose shot from an acute angle beat the keeper but went just wide.

Home supporters didn’t have long to wait for more goals however, and after 17 minutes Ireton followed up swiftly when Mike Graddon’s goalbound free-kick was parried by visiting keeper Matt Record to double the advantage.

Shortly after, Ireton saw his cross-shot from the byeline deflected past Record by the unfortunate defender Ross Barber to make it 3-0.

Ireton then latched onto a perfect through pass by playmaker Phillips and slotted home Minehead’s fourth, and Phillips was once more the provider just before the break when Graddon collected his quickly taken free-kick and cleverly lobbed Record to complete the Blues’ nap hand.

Harry Scatchard was unlucky to not make it six when he beat three players but saw his strike from 30 yards go over the bar.

Minehead introduced all three substitutes in the second half, but remained completely in control of the result.

However, as often happens after a high-scoring, one-sided first half, the game fizzled out as a contest and the only goal in the second 45 was scored in the last minute by the impressive Phillips, who finished off a good move by passing the ball home from just inside the box.

Minehead: Sam Tarr, Chris Newbold, Luke Bloys, Mike Mullen, Matt Cracknell, Stefan Phillips, Harry Scatchard, Aaron Ireton, Damion Redman, Mike Graddon, Luke Howells, subs Stephen Lynch, Max Smith, Matty Ronan (all used).

Gerry Hatrick man of the match was Aaron Ireton.

l The Blues now face the daunting prospect of eight of their next ten matches being away from home, including three cup matches.

Tomorrow (Saturday) they go to Winscombe for an important league encounter between two teams who so far have identical league records this season.