Two goals from Billy Bodin and strikes from Matty Taylor and Cameron Brannagan eased United through to the third round of the Emirates FA Cup today with a 4-1 win over Exeter City at the Kassam Stadium.
An early goal from Taylor and two second-half finishes from sub Bodin either side of a Brannagan blast were enough to decide a tie between two League 1 sides and extend United's unbeaten run to eight games across all competitions, despite a consolation goal from Jake Caprice for the visitors.
United never looked back after they were gifted the opening goal after just nine minutes when Chieck Diabete slipped and played a diabolical pass straight to exactly the wrong person. Taylor turned and didn’t even have to carry the ball too far forward before rolling the ball past keeper Jamal Blackman from 25 yards out for his fifth goal of the season and third in two games.
That opened the game up nicely, with Exeter having to come at the U’s and Ed McGinty making one good save and watching a cross flash past the post as the Grecians fought back.
United were in control, though, and James Henry skimmed the bar with a 28th minute effort before Blackman made a smart save from the same player two minutes before the break after an excellent run from Marcus McGuane down the left.
The second half saw sub Jay Stansfield go close with a fine curling effort and McGinty have to dive on a loose ball inside the box, but those were rare moments of danger and United should have been dreaming of the next round on the hour when Ciaron Brown's header was touched goalwards by Marcus Browne only for Blackman to be in the perfect position to deny the U's a second goal.
Brannagan clipped a superb effort against the outside of the post a couple of minutes later and on 78 it was game over and name in the hat time as Taylor broke down the right and crossed. Browne got a touch and Bodin applied a simple finish for his fifth goal in six games.
Brannagan then put the lid on the tin-foil cup after 86 minutes when he scored a trademark goal, floating past a weak challenge and firing across Blackman into the far corner of the net to make it 3-0 and ensure safe passage for Karl Robinson's side, with Bodin gliding home a fourth soon after to continue his excellent scoring run.
There was still time for a Caprice cross to travel all the way into the net to earn the Grecians at least a crumb of comfort, but four more goals, and eight games unbeaten now for the U's, whose run started with four goals at Exeter in the league.
They now go through to the third round draw, to be made live on BBC2 on Monday evening. The adventure continues...
Att: 3,599
Away: 427
Fifty/50 winning number 51916 wins £621.50
Report by Chris Williams, pictures Steve Daniels and Steve Edmunds