WARRINGTON Rylands secured comfortable progress into the main qualifying rounds of the FA Cup.

Prestwich Heys were dispatched by Dave McNabb's side thanks in no small part to a brace of goals early in the second half from two unlikely sources.

Joe Denman and Rick Smith nodded home from set pieces within the first 10 minutes after the break, killing the momentum the lower-ranked hosts had built before the break.

The opener had come just five minutes in, with Luke Sephton profiting from a weak backpass, as Blues booked their spot in Monday's first qualifying round draw.

Listen below as Warrington Rylands manager Dave McNabb gives his post-match reaction

Guardian sports reporter Matt Turner was at Adie Moran Park to see the game - here's his verdict on proceedings...

IN the pouring North Manchester rain, Warrington Rylands did what was required.

Ties against lower-ranked opposition can often prove tricky and for a period in the first half, it looked like being the case here.

Prestwich Heys were game in their quest to cancel out the opening goal they gift-wrapped for Luke Sephton early on and if anything, half time came at the best possible time for Blues.

Judging by the way they stormed out of the traps after the break, they had been told in no uncertain terms to step it up.

Those usually charged with stopping goals ended up scoring them, with defensive duo Joe Denman and Rick Smith profiting from set-pieces as the visitors brought the game under their control.

While far from a vintage display, Dave McNabb’s side could still reflect on a job well done.

It is to the credit of the hosts that for a period, they were able to knock Blues off the authoritative stride they had been displaying early on.

With the platform of Sephton’s early goal – handed to him on a plate by an under-hit backpass – they moved the ball serenely and left their hosts chasing shadows.

At the base of the midfield, Adam Buxton was playing with all the experience gained from an extensive Football League career, keeping things ticking over beautifully.

To take a boxing analogy, they had landed an early knockdown and were sat comfortably behind their jab.

But then, their opponents started to swing back and landed a few blows of their own.

Graeme McCall in the Rylands goal had to be sharp on a couple of occasions and when he went walkabout to leave his posts unguarded, he was indebted to Smith to spare his blushes.

Their play became ragged and frantic and they were in danger of throwing away control when the whistle went.

Words were clearly had at the interval as Rylands came out for the second half with renewed vigour, seemingly determined to kill off the hosts’ spirited challenge.

That they did and on the day veteran centre-half and captain Gary Kenny’s move away from the club was confirmed, the two men now at the heart of their defence shone through.

Smith was first provider then scorer – nodding Buxton’s deep free kick back for Denman to finish before climbing high to head in a corner.

In a flash, Prestwich went from in the game to out of it and although they continued to plug away, they did not trouble McCall’s goal.

A routine win, then, and while cohesion and combinations will only grow with time, they cannot ask for much more than three wins from as many outings.