Stafford Rangers progressed through to the next round of the Staffs Senior Cup with a comfortable victory at Leek Town.

A 26th minute goal from David McNiven set Rangers on their way before second-half goals from Darryl Proffitt, Tom Ingram and Jimmy Phillips wrapped up the tie.

Manager Steve Bull was pleased with the win, although it needed a half time tongue lashing to get his Stafford team playing how he wanted.

He said; “It was a kick and rush game at first. It was a bit physical and we’re not a physical side. We are a footballing side and when we played football, we scored the goals.

“When we scored the first, I thought ‘That’s it’ but then it went back to slogging it.”

Bull revealed he had given the players a blast during the interval and they responded with a better second half display.

Leek didn’t pose much of a threat but they could easily have gone in all-square at half time, had Josh Thompson been able to make the most of his chance two minutes before the interval.

It was a double substitution in the 62nd minute that paid rapid dividends for Bull. Proffitt had only been on the pitch for six minutes, when he latched on to a defensive howler to put Rangers 2-0 up.

Bull said: “I thought Leek were there for the taking so we switched to 4-4-2.

Although the home side pulled a goal back through Leon Ashman on 82 mins – the result of an error by Phillips – Rangers sealed the tie with goals from Ingram in the 86th minutes, with Phillips adding a sublime curler three minutes in to added time.

Rangers now look forward to Tuesday night’s Setanta Shield tie at home to Northwich Victoria.