Dean Perrow fired in four and Kingsley James made a scoring debut as Chasetown swept aside Grantham Town 5-0 in their first FA Carlsberg Trophy tie of the season, writes Dave Goddard.

The dominant victory was just what the Scholars fans and officials needed following a lean spell of results, and new boss Chris Brindley could not have wished for a better display on his home debut.

Grantham pushed hard in the early stages with Jamie McGhee and Rhys Lewis both finding early chances but the Chasetown defence were able to counter, while Mark Branch blocked a close range chance for Sam Purcicoe and the ball went wide.

Chasetown took the lead in style in the eighth minute when Levi Reid skilfully avoided two defenders down the centre and played wide to Scholars debutant James, the Port Vale loanee firing a low shot from the right across Murray and into the far corner of the net.

Five minutes later and the Scholars made it two from the penalty spot after Perrow was brought down by Alistair Asher in the box, Perrow himself stepping up to smash home the spot-kick.

The Gingerbreads remained eager for their second victory over Chasetown in less than a month, but the Scholars found the net again on 28 minutes when a perfectly struck right-footed shot from Perrow evaded keeper Rob Murray and Chasetown began to look ever more dominant.

Three minutes later a cross from the right from Gary Birch found Perrow unmarked and the “Goal Machine” completed his hat-trick with a left-footed shot as the Scholars show continued.

Perrow could have added a fourth on 39 minutes but Martin Ball dispossessed him before he could shoot, while Ryan Price hung onto Rob Norris’s shot one minute later.

The second half was also Chasetown all the way, Perrow enjoying two more chances before on 67 minutes latching onto a Birch through ball and rounding Murray to fire into the empty net for his fourth and the Scholars’ fifth.

By now there was no way back for the Division 1 South men, and the revenge of the Scholars was emphatically assured following their FA Cup exit at the hand of the Gingerbreads at the beginning of October.

Substitute Danny Smith would also go close for the Scholars in the closing stages but dragged his shot wide after some good play by Andy Westwood, while Birch saw a shot blocked by Tom Maddison to round off a supreme Scholars display.

Chasetown: Price, Farmer, M Branch, Slater, Stride, Teesdale (Westwood, 64 mins), Stephens, Reid,
Birch (Dovey, 78 mins), Perrow (Smith, 78 mins), James

Other Subs: Robinson, Wiggins (not used)