JUST as John Cornforth eased into the Newport County hot seat this week, his side eased in to the third qualifying round of the FA Cup on Saturday with a comfortable 2-0 victory at Corsham Town.

Goals from Jamie Moralee and Ashley Williams were enough to send Cornforth's side through with room to spare against a side that put up more than just plucky resistance in front of their record attendance.

This was a potentially difficult afternoon, and the game was played on a bumpy, heavy pitch with weather that oscillated from bright sunshine to freezing cold sheets of rain which put any notions of this being a romantic cup-tie put to bed right away.

Despite those hindrances, County started the better, and the impressive Nathan Davies had an early low drive well saved by Corsham 'keeper Craig Chaplin.

But it took until after the half- hour mark before County opened the scoring, although Ashley Williams had the ball in the net from a header ten minutes earlier but was dubiously ruled offside.

When it came, it was worth waiting for, with Jonathan Coates feeding Lee Philips on the left flank, and his swinging back post cross was powerfully headed into the top corner by Jamie Moralee.

The foot immediately came off the gas and County were almost punished as Alan Griffin saw a header crash off Roger Freestone's crossbar, and then a half-volley from Scot Wye hit the same piece of woodwork.

But the second period saw Newport resume control of the match, and only five minutes after the re-start they were home and dry after Kevin Aherne-Evans triggered a slick move with Coates that set Williams free, and the youngster wasted no time in drilling the ball home.

Again the spirited home side tried to respond, and Freestone had to make a great reflex stop from Griffin to keep his goal intact.

But County were always the more composed and were well in control of the match.

Darren Jones had the ball in the net soon afterwards, but the whistle had gone for a foul on the Corsham 'keeper, although it looked as though the stopper had spilled it on his own accord.

Jason Bowen, who is looking more and more like the player that he can be, lashed a fine show that rattled the bar, and substitute Gethyn Jones, who looked lively, had a crack from long range that was comfortably saved.

At the death late substitute John Phillips again had the ball in the net, but once again the flag was up for offside, although this was a far easier ruling than the previous two chalked-off goals.

Worryingly, Nathan Davies, who was a stand-out again, limped off after going over his ankle, but in the end this was a job done - a win for the new boss and into the next round of the FA Cup.

Corsham Town: Chaplin, Beck, Hopkins (Lyons 75), Towler, Curtis, Woods, Coleman, Cullis (Lodge 87), Griffin, Webb (Elfred 59), Lye. Subs not used: Blackwood, Halcroft. Newport County: Freestone, Aherne-Evans, L Phillips, Davies (Morgan 89), D Jones, Thomas, Bowen, Williams (G Jones 55), Moralee (J Phillips 88), Wilson-Denis, Coates. Subs not used: O'Sullivan, Blackburn. Referee: I Hamilton (Cheltenham). Attendance: 550.