Merstham 0-5 Oxford: U's coast to victory at non-league side

Kane Hemmings grabbed two goals as Oxford United coasted into the FA Cup second round with a 5-0 victory at non-league Merstham.

Marvin Johnson created the first opening on eight minutes as he whipped the ball across the face of goal, but the visitors - four leagues above Merstham - were ahead just three minutes later.

Skipper Alex MacDonald whipped a vicious free-kick into the top-left corner from just outside the area, leaving keeper Phil Wilson with no chance.

Merstham had their chances to equalise, with Dan Bennett squandering the best of those on 20 minutes, but former U's stopper Wilson was also called into action regularly to deny his former side.

And on the stroke of half-time Oxford knocked the wind out of Merstham sails when Johnson took the ball past Michael Abnett and crossed for Josh Ruffels to head home with aplomb.

Hayden Bird rang the changes for Merstham early in the second-half, but after Tom Kavanagh and Ryan Ledson saw long-range efforts turned away at either end, two quickfire goals just after the hour mark ended any slim hopes of a Moatsiders comeback.

First Hemmings latched on to Ruffels' through ball to make it three, before MacDonald played in Tyler Roberts who smashed through Wilson's legs just seconds later.

And while Bennett saw a late effort ruled out for offside, there was no consolation for Merstham, with Hemmings following in Johnson's shot which Wilson could only parry.