DOMINANT Redditch eased past league rivals Cambridge City to land a place in Monday’s FA Trophy second qualifying round draw.

The Reds forced the issue from the off and bar a couple of defensive wobbles in the first half, kept City at arm’s length.

David McDermott’s looping shot was deflected wide early on but United made the breakthrough with just seven minutes on the clock.

Liam Spink drove out to Luke Shearer who fired across goal with Eli Bako finishing from close range after Jordan Jones had been denied.

Bako should have made it two but City keeper Enol Ordonez was on hand to smother, a feat repeated by United stopper Brad Catlow at the other end when Jack Uttridge was left free six yards out from Charlie Day's teasing delivery.

Catlow blotted his copy book when he dropped Jordan Williams’s header and allowed Joe Carden to level on 20 minutes but Redditch were soon back in front thanks to a wonderful team goal.

A long passage of possession ended with Danico Johnson finding Shearer to roll to the onrushing Reece Hales who unerringly rifled inside the near post from 10 yards.

Carden scuffed wide with the goal at his mercy as half-time loomed and it was a telling miss as Hales made it 3-1 within two minutes, freeing Jones down the right before nudging home the rebound from his colleague's cross-shot.

The all-action first half was followed by a tame second in which City saw plenty of the ball but rarely breached United’s 18-yard box.

City substitute Paul Cooper was thwarted by Catlow on the goal-line, while Johnson and the busy Harry Norman traded shots late on.

The victory saw Redditch pocket £2,700 in prize money and move to within seven rounds of Wembley in non-league football’s premier cup competition.

Reds: Catlow 6, Jones 8, Spink 7, (Apostocopoulos, 24, 6), Brown 7, McDonald 7 (Young, 74), Cullinane-Liburd 6, Bako 8, HALES 8*, Shearer 7 (Taylor, 78), McDermott 8, Johnson 6. Unused sub: Thompson.