A TOTAL of 77 days after Crystal Palace lifted the FA Cup at Wembley, the oldest cup competition in the world returned as Maldon and Tiptree eased to a 5-0 win over Buckhurst Hill, writes LEE WITNEY.
The Jammers welcomed the Essex Senior League side to the Drewitt-Barlow Stadium for the extra preliminary round tie keen to avoid a similar fate to last season where they were dumped out at this stage by Stanway Rovers.
But these are very different times with the buzz of the takeovers still fresh, as owners, fans and players alike look ahead to the new season.
Manager Kevin Horlock handed out five debuts as Cameron James, Tom Eastman, Louis Dunne, Tevan Allen and Freddie Sears all made their first Jammers starts.
Maldon had the better of the opening exchanges. Sears flicked an effort towards goal from an Amine Sassi free-kick and Eastman had a great shot blocked on the line.
With 13 minutes gone, the pressure eventually told as Gary Hooper made the breakthrough.
Dunne's perfectly-weighted ball through the middle found the former Celtic marksman who made no mistake and slid the ball past goalkeeper Andrew Zambrano.
A minute later, Allen fired over from close range for Maldon and although Buckhurst Hill played some neat football, Maldon doubled their lead on 21 minutes.
Dylan Williams' fine long-range strike owed much to the trickery and tenacity of Allen who jinked his way into the Buckhurst Hill box.
The chance looked to have gone when he and Sears collided, but Williams was on hand to smash the loose ball home from the edge of the box.
The Jammers were starting to find their groove and some quick, short passing between James and Sears as they moved up the pitch early produced a magnificent goal.
A free-kick offered the visitors a chance for a rare foray forward. That was cleared by Jack Cawley and led to a succession of corners that ultimately amounted to nothing.
Deep into first-half stoppage time, the game was over as a contest.
Dunne linked up well on the right with James and slammed the ball home at the near post, leaving Zambrano with no chance.
Maldon's 3-0 half-time lead was fair reward and ten minutes into the second half, Hooper added his second.
Sassi played in Sears whose initial shot was well saved by Zambrano.
But luck wasn’t on the Buckhurst Hill keeper’s side and Hooper was on hand to tuck home the rebound.
A couple of minutes after the restart, Buckhurst nearly reduced the arrears. Reece Lee Simpson’s effort from 20 yards out bounced awkwardly in front of Elliott Justham who did well to tip it onto the post.
For all his usual graft and guile, Sassi was yet to hit the scoresheet. He came close on the hour, but his effort smacked the face of the crossbar and bounced away.
Buckhurst Hill substitute Billy Titley's spectacular bicycle kick went just wide before with the last kick of the game, Matt Price added a fifth as he headed home Terrell Egbri’s cross.
Maldon had avoided a banana skin in emphatic fashion to set up visit to Hadley, on August 16.
The Jammers get their Pitching In Isthmian League campaign underway on Saturday when they host Redbridge.
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