Thewlis at the double as Boston United cruise past FA Cup opponents Stamford

(Jordan Thewlis 6, 75, Domonic Knowles 60, Jay Rollins 86)

Boston United will be in the hat for the FA Cup’s third-qualifying round draw following a comfortable 4-0 victory at Lincolnshire rivals Stamford.

Jordan Thewlis took his season’s tally to seven goals in 10 games with a brace, while Dominic Knowles and Jay Rollins also got in on the act.

United looked even more comfortable than in their 3-1 Lincs Senior Cup victory over the Daniels in August, overcoming what could have been seen as a potential banana skin at the Zeeco Stadium, keeping the dream of a final FA Cup game at York Street alive.

Craig Elliott made two changes to the side which was beaten 3-0 at Gateshead the previous Saturday, Nicky Walker and Ben Middleton replacing Andi Thanoj and the injured Karl Byrne.

Ex-Pilgrim Harry Vince returned to the Stamford starting XI following his three-game ban.

Thewlis put the Pilgrims ahead in the sixth minute with his sixth goal of the season.

The forward had already warned the Daniels what he could do with a mazy run beyond two opponents before firing an effort over Dan Haystead’s bar moments earlier, and he made no mistake when handed a second shooting opportunity.

A long punt forward saw Thewlis win the initial header, Knowles nodding him through as he reacted first to the dropping ball.

The Boston striker still had work to do, skipping inside the befuddled Sean Wright before slotting a low effort beyond Haystead, his first goal on the road for Boston.

Thewlis was United’s danger man as the Pilgrims began at a pace the hosts struggled to cope with, seeing a header scrambled wide an another effort drilled too high.

Rollins was having fun down the right flank and a low, drilled cross saw James Blunden almost deflect into his own net.

Walker brought a fine save from Haystead on the half volley and Thewlis saw another effort sail inches wide as Boston took a narrow 1-0 lead into the interval.

For Stamford, their best effort of the half was Cosmas Matwasa’s 25-yard drive which was charged down by Simon Ainge.

But that changed seconds after the break as Tom Siddons nodded Jon Challinor’s cross wide.

The big forward went even closer seconds later, his effort looking set to nestle in the far corner, only or an outstretched Peter Crook hand to scoop the ball off the line.

Haystead was called into action again, getting across his goal to tip away Walker’s goalbound curler, but there was nothing he could do to deny Knowles.

The provider turned scorer as he twisted and turned on the edge of the box before doubling United’s advantage with a well-placed curler.

It was almost three a minute later but Rollins’ strike struck the inside of Haystead’s post before rebounding across the face of goal.

Thewlis’ second of the game owed plenty to the hard work and selflessness of Walker, who robbed defender Wright before teeing up his teammate, who picked his spot confidently, rolling beyond the isolated Haystead.

Haystead denied Thewlis a hat-trick with a low save in the 86th minute, but Rollins pounced to tap home the loose ball.

But there was still time for the former Boston keeper to pull off a great save to deny Jordan Adebayo-Smith.

In stoppage time Crook had the final say, keeping out Matwasa’s close-range effort.

STAMFORD: Haystead, Cooke (Brown-Hill HT), Taylor, Armstrong (Challinor HT), Wright, Blunden, O'Hare (Mwanyongo HT), Vince, Siddons, Morgan, Matwasa; Subs (not used): Luto, Keeble, Braid, Tarris.

UNITED: Crook, Middleton, Whittle, Platt, Ainge, Shiels (Gibbens 83), Rollins, Abbott, Knowles (Tuton 78), Thewlis, Walker (Adebayo-Smith 82); Subs (not used): Jackson, Thanoj, Green, Willis.

REF: Callum Walchester.

ATT: 671.