Hereford earned their FA Cup first round tie with York City with a comfortable win over the Sussex County League champions in Saturday's fourth qualifying round match at Edgar Street.

Burgess Hill were rocked by man-of-the-match Gavin Williams' third minute opener and, although they were gifted an equaliser midway through the first-half, the visitors posed little threat for much of the second period when Hereford could easily have added further goals.

With first-choice full-backs Matt Clarke and Paul Sturgess serving one-game bans, Hereford director of football Graham Turner recalled Chris Lane to right-back and switched Ian Rodgerson to left-back, enabling Williams to take over on the right side of midfield.

The move quickly paid off when Mark Taylor's free-kick was only partially cleared and John Snape's punt forward was headed down by Robin Elmes for Williams to slot home from six yards.

The Hereford crowd sat back and waited expectantly for the goals to come flooding in. Unfortunately so did the team and the next period of the match belonged firmly to the Hillians, although their equaliser, when it came, was handed to them on a plate.

On 21 minutes Tony James attempted to find keeper Mark Jones with a headed back-pass but instead directed the ball straight to Clinton Moore who lobbed home from the edge of the box.

Within three minutes, however, Hereford re-stored their lead and an excellently worked goal it was, too.

Elmes was fouled on the edge of the area and Taylor slipped the ball to Williams who knocked it on for Paul Fewings to continue his goal-a-game record.

The former Hull City man now has nine goals in his last nine appearances.

Either side of half-time, Fewings twice went close to extending the lead, first in the 44th minute when the visitors' keeper, Richard Waters, had to be alert to tip a close-range effort around the post.

And then on 53 minutes Waters produced another good save after a Paul Parry cross was headed down to Fewings' feet by skipper Ian Wright.

The third goal finally arrived on 70 minutes when Elmes released Williams on the right- hand side.

He worked his way adroitly to the by-line before delivering a perfect cross to the far post where it was headed in powerfully by Parry.

Ten minutes later Williams was involved again in the final score, heading goalwards, after Taylor's corner was only partially cleared, for substitute Steve Piearce to flick the ball into the net.

The Parry-Williams combination almost brought a fifth in the closing stages, but this time the winger's header flew across goal and was cleared to safety.

Hereford: Jones, Lane, Williams, Snape, Wright, James, Parry, Taylor, Elmes (May 88 min), Fewings (Piearce 69 min), Rodgerson. Subs not used: Wall, Hanson, Siddaway (gk).

Burgess Hill: Waters, Lutwyche, Williams (Pook 85 min), Cable, Head, Edwards, Bird (Venton 67 min), Thomsett, Moore, Carr (Flower 72 min), Newman. Subs not used: Warne, Chapman.

Referee: Andrew Penn (Kingswinford)

Attendance: 1, 611.