There was no complacency this time, and they got off to a perfect start when Mark Hodson picked up Jack Langston’s pass and headed off down the right-hand side and into the penalty area. Hodson looked to have taken the ball too far towards the goal line but his crisp angled shot beat goalkeeper Tom Griffiths and flew inside the far post.

Hodson was instrumental in Rocester’s second goal in the 14th minute when Josh Cook upended him inside the area, which allowed Chris Sterling the opportunity to open his account for the afternoon with a confidently struck penalty.

A Josh Butler corner just four minutes later dropped kindly for Liam Holt, who netted number three from just a yard out with his knee, and it was Holt again who found the net on 38 minutes with a looping header that Griffiths could only palm over the line as he tried desperately to get back.

Five minutes before the break a second penalty, this time awarded after Holt’s speedy run into the box was unceremoniously ended by Spencer Lloyd’s lunge, resulted in Jack Langston ramming in his first Romans goal from the spot kick.

The visitors then had their only worthwhile attempt at goal when David Almond worked his way through, but Richard Froggatt came out to make an excellent save to keep his clean sheet.

To their credit, Cradley continued to battle against the tide after the break, but they had no answers after an hour when Hodson robbed Cook out on the left and fed the ball across the area to Sterling. The in-form striker controlled the ball and fired a shot across the area where Hodson was on hand to tuck the ball between the defenders covering on the line.

Sterling didn’t have to wait long before adding to his earlier penalty, slamming in number seven on 81 minutes after Griffiths had blocked his initial shot.

The impressive Sterling then completed his hat-trick a minute from time with an emphatic finish after Dan Mason’s superbly-weighted through ball had left him in the clear.

Scorers: Romans – Hodson (1) (64), Sterling (14 pen) (70) (89), Holt (18) (38), Langston (40 pen).

Romans: Froggatt; McComisky; Butler (Justin 46); Mason; Farrelly; Bullock; Lowndes (Roberts 79); Langston; Sterling; Hodson; Holt (Wain 46). Subs not used: Hewitt; Langridge.

Cradley: Griffiths; Lloyd (Lee 66); Wilkins; Cook; Williams; Bailey; Reid; Ellis; Almond; Brown; Ward. Subs not used: McPherson.

Yellow Cards: Cradley – Bailey.

Referee: Mr. K. Lawton (Stoke-on-Trent).

Attendance: 93.

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