City moved comfortably into the quarter-finals of the Kent Senior Trophy with this emphatic win against K Sports.

A rampant second-half performance completely overran Sports after both teams had reached the break scoreless.

A busy start from both sides saw each getting forward, but the sheer pace of the game saw neither having any real time on the ball. Bailey Pearce drove a shot across the City goal which Laurence Harvey did well to clear facing his own net before a lovely flowing move from City ended with Rob Lawrence seeing his effort blocked before City retained possession and Dave Pilcher’s effort was well taken at full stretch by Sports keeper Rhys Coates just under the angle.

Darren Marsden cut inside and shot wide for City as the visitors started to take control as Sports’ early impetus and urgency suddenly just subsided. Some great hold up play by Marsden then allowed Pilcher and Connor Hendricks both to see efforts blocked away before Coates made a great spreading save to deny Jamie Maxted as he had been put through with a lovely little blindside pass from Pilcher. City then went close again from the ensuing corner as Cory Walters-Wright came flying in to meet it but headed just over the bar.

City were now dominating and a lovely one-two between Lawrence and Pilcher saw the latter’s shot across goal diverted past the far post by Coates before Joe Nelder fired just over after another flowing City move. City keeper Shannon Harris was then called into action diving across with a decent save to keep out Richard Butler’s effort that was aiming just inside the post before the half then just petered out as several stoppages and some niggly challenges completely disrupted the flow of the game and it meandered to the break goalless.

After the previous meeting between the two clubs this season had ended 4-3 to City – with a stoppage time winner, you could have been forgiven if you had expected this game to be very close too. Sports had competed well in the early stages, but this time, once City had begun to take control in the first-half, it soon became clear that there was only likely to be one winner and they got off to the perfect start as a ball sent over the top saw several City players flood through the Sports defence as Pilcher surged down the left, rounded the keeper and slid the ball across for Lawrence to have a three yard tap in for 1-0.

Conceding the lead straight after the break came as a blow for the hosts and Sports then did themselves no favours, obviously feeling some injustice for an offside flag for the goal that they appealed for but which never came, they got involved in some rugged and rash challenges and niggly little off the ball stuff instead of concentrating on getting themselves back into the game.

Marsden was the victim of one of these incidents, but once calm had been restored, he let his football do the talking instead as he inspired City and drove them forward to what was to become an emphatic victory starting the rout himself with the next goal. A high ball into the box wasn’t cut out and he couldn’t have believed his luck as it arrived at his feet. One touch to control it and a second to rifle it past Coates for a very satisfying strike and to make it 2-0 to City.

City were now piling forward at every opportunity and it was Marsden often in the thick of it. A rapid break into the box saw his shot take a huge deflection and just spin a few inches wide of the post, while from the corner that followed, Harvey’s terrific downward header was cleared off the line. City retained possession and moments later Nelder swung in a beautiful cross which was brilliantly met on the side foot volley by Harvey, with all the aplomb of a striker, to make it 3-0.

It wasn’t long before it was four as Marsden again charged forward into the Sports box but was tripped as he pulled the trigger, but with the referee waiting to see if here was an advantage, Lawrence was on hand to fire the loose ball home for 4-0. City were now looking as though they could score at will and Pilcher was the next to burst through and with just Coates to beat tried unselfishly to set up City youngster Ryan Alldritt but somehow the keeper got back across to make a great smothering save to deny him a goal on what was a very impressive first start.

To their credit though, Sports continued to battle away and despite being four down probably then had their best spell of the game. As chaos was all about them at one end, they did create several half chances at the other. Caine Smith miscued a volley wide and then saw his next effort well saved by Harris, but Marsden was still going in the opposite direction and another charge into the box, ended with his shot being saved by Coates before his counterpart Harris denied Smith once more from scoring at the other end saving his on-the-run volley.

City were soon to notch number five though as Marsden played a great through ball for Pilcher and he galloped into the box, drew Coates again, before sliding it past him for 5-0. At the other end, Smith fired wide before a ball whipped in right in front of the goal was turned over the bar by a brilliant point blank save from Harris that was deemed so good he even got a congratulatory acknowledgement from the attacker he had just denied.

With City now rampant, it was no surprise when number six arrived as Pilcher, wide right, lifted the ball over the keeper into the opposite top corner for 6-0 and to complete the rout.

With only minutes left, City still had several chances to have increased their tally as firstly, Casey was put through by Pilcher, but could only fire wide when well placed, Alldritt nearly picked his way through but his effort was blocked out for a corner which then saw two more City shots blocked and finally, in the dying moments, Pilcher went close to his third as his volley was beaten away by Coates with a great spreading save.

City were as good as the score-line suggests – especially second-half, while Sports were as bad and left licking their considerable wounds.

Final score; Canterbury City 6 K Sports 0

City; Shannon Harris, Pat Nzuzi, Jamie Maxted (Robel Grant), Joe Nelder (Dan Keyte), Laurence Harvey, Cory Walters-Wright, Darren Marsden, Connor Hendricks, Rob Lawrence (Jordan Casey), Dave Pilcher, Ryan Alldritt.

Unused sub; Josh McCallum.