Jordan Thewlis scored twice as Moors made safe passage into the Second Round of the Durham County Cup with a 3-0 win over Shildon at The Brewery Field on Tuesday evening.

The front man tucked away two well-taken goals to put Jason Ainsley’s side in the driving seat before Jordan Preston wrapped up the win in injury time with a tidy finish from close range.

Ainsley named a strong side for the First Round tie, with several players getting much needed minutes into their legs on a rainy night in County Durham.

It didn’t take Moors long to hit the front as a ball was played into Jordan Thewlis with his back to goal on the edge of the area and the forward turned swiftly before driving a low shot beyond keeper Matty Bateman and into the bottom left corner of the net.

It could have got even better for Thewlis on 13 minutes when the dangerous John Lufudu was hauled down as he drove into the box but this time the Moors front man stroked his effort from the spot wide of the post.

Shildon rallied and began to play some good football themselves on a surface made slick by a downpour just before kick-off and several showers throughout the first half.

Jordan Preston wriggled into the box but couldn’t find the right angle for a shot before then testing the keeper with a low drive which was held by Bateman.

The second Moors goal arrived four minutes before half time and again Lufudu was the creative spark as he charged into the right side of the area before cleverly pulling a low ball back for Thewlis who made no mistake this time.

Another deluge greeted the players at the start of the second half and the first opportunity fell to Charlie Watt wriggled into space 20 yards from goal but then strangled his shot straight at the keeper.

Mark Anderson was next to test Shildon stopper Bateman with a free kick from the right edge of the areas which the keeper did well to cling on to.

The visitors responded with a moment of danger of their own when a free kick was swung in from the left on to the head of Dean Thexton but his downward header was straight at Harry Flatters.

There was a blow for The Railwaymen when keeper Bateman was forced off after a collision with Thewlis left him with a head injury and his replacement – outfield sub Michael Sweet – was called into action almost immediately to deny Watt.

Shildon continued to enjoy their fair share of possession without really hurting Moors, while substitute Joe Wheatley could have made it 3-0 when he hit a swerving shot from distance which just didn’t dip enough to find the net.

Niall Short could have wrapped it up for Moors as time ticked on when he found himself in space just inside the area but again Sweet got down well to make the save.

The win was secured in injury time though when Scott Duxbury did brilliantly down the left and his low cross was expertly turned home by Preston in the middle for 3-0.

Full Time: Moors 3 Shildon 0

Moors: Flatters, Lufudu, Cousin-Dawson, Curtis, Ledger, Short (Duxbury 87), Anderson, Forbes, Preston, Thewlis (Wheatley 68), Watt.
Subs not used: Alderson, Wood, Twinn.

Booked: Thewlis (32), Watt (55), Short (85).

Shildon: Bateman (Pascoe 69), Heywood, Matthews, Atkinson, Booth (Sweet 58), Vaulks, Weirs (Dinsdale (87), Trotter, Thexton, Posthill, Kneeshaw.
Subs not used: Greulich-Smith, White.

Booked: Vaulks (57).

Referee: Paul Cooper

Attendance: 387