FOLLOWING a series of great results Dunmow limped into Saturday’s fixture with five regular players unavailable and paid the consequences.

Dunmow started the game briskly and were one up inside the first ten minutes following a defence piercing 50-yard through ball from centre back Ben Jolly.

Will Green collected the ball on the right wing and squared it for his striking partner Dan Moss to slot home from six yards – but that was the best it got for the visitors in the first half.

Rayleigh then took over levelled within five minutes with a 25-yard screamer.

Dunmow’s midfield and back four were overrun by the youthful home side.

Within ten minutes of going level Rayleigh were ahead after Dunmow’s defence failed to clear the ball from the 18-yard area – Rayleigh eventually slotting in from close range.

Worse was to follow. Clean through on goal Rayleigh’s striker was intercepted by Dunmow’s shot-stopper Boreham who won the ball cleanly and then dribbled out of his area only to have the ball whisked from him and passed into the net by Rayleigh’s other striker.

The first half ended with Rayleigh scoring a fourth but Dunmow came out in the second determined to at least salvage some pride.

Within ten minutes though, Rayleigh were awarded a penalty after a clumsy tackle from Reece Free.

Dunmow’s keeper Matthew Boreham, for the second game on the trot, saved the penalty taken by Rayleigh’s keeper.

This gave Dunmow some confidence and for the next 20 minutes played some excellent football for no reward.

Key to this was excellent midfield work by Oliver Coopersmith and debutant Joshua Martin (pictured), along with good defensive work from substitute and second debutant Tom Allen.

This great work culminated in Will Green having a goal-bound shot saved by Rayleigh’s keeper outside the area – despite a free kick being awarded, surprisingly, no further action was taken against the keeper by the referee.

Inevitably, with Dunmow pressing hard to close the gap, Rayleigh caught them on the counter-attack to close out the game as comfortable 5-1 winners.

Dunmow will be looking for instant revenge on Saturday when they take on the same team at the Recreation Ground in the Quarter Final of the Divisional Cup – kick off at 1.30pm.