SYDENHAMS Wessex Premier leaders Salisbury FC put AFC St Austell - last season's semi-finalists - to the sword with a classy second half performance in a full-blooded FA Vase tie.

After Brandon Mundy had fired the the Sydenhams Wessex Premier leaders into a half time lead, Danny Young, Kane O'Keefe and new signing Taurean Roberts added the extras to seal a 4-0 win in front of a bumper crowd of 854 inside a roaring Ray Mac.

But, while the victory secured a third round tie at Highworth Town for the bookmakers' second favourites at 9/2, the visitors were left to rue two controversial decisions en-route to elimination.

The Lillywhites thought they had made the breakthrough on 26 minutes when a Martin Watts corner was only cleared as far as Neil Slateford at the edge of the box.

His rasping drive was parried by Gareth Barfoot into the path of Ollie Brokenshire, who poked home from close range. It looked as if referee Alexander Tremlett had given the goal but, as the home players protested, he went to talk to his assistant and decided to disallow it for offside.

But Salisbury continued to threaten with the pace of wingers Dan Demkiv and Young. It was a break from the left which opened the scoring four minutes before the interval. Young, cutting in from the wing, hit a low shot which was saved by Jason Chapman. The rebound fell to Mundy who powerfully struck home from eight yards, his effort crashing in off the underside of the crossbar.

The Whites were much improved after the break and doubled the score when Young got the reward for his efforts on the left.

St Austell thought they had clawed a way back into the game with ten minutes left when a corner from Watts looked to have ricocheted off Liam Eddy's arm and into the net.

But, once again, the flag went up, this time for handball.

Tempers flared from that moment as managers Phil Lafferty and Steve Claridge exchanged strong words on the touchline.

Skipper O’Keefe and debutant Taurean Roberts then struck two goals late on to pocket £1,000 in prize money for the hosts.

Winning boss Steve Claridge, whose club have just agreed a new deal with the trustees which will see them stay at the Old Sarum ground until 2017, praised his troops.