WHITLEY Bay manager Ian Chandler will try to keep his players' feet on the floor after they comfortably beat FA Vase holders Truro City 3-0 to earn a place in the last eight.

Whitley have now been installed as favourites to win the competition at Wembley, but Chandler, who scored the winner for Whitley in the 2001 final, said: "I hope the players don't think it's a walkover now, because there are still some very good teams left in the competition.

The lads have got to keep their heads, just as they did on Saturday.

"I think our physical presence was a big advantage to us, especially Andy Dugdale in midfield, and our defence gave nothing away. Lee Kerr had been quiet all day until we opened the scoring.

We could do with a home draw now."

The game was level until the 52nd minute, when Paul Chow was brought down in the area and Lee Kerr tucked away the penalty. Kerr then scored his second, when he chested down a Dean Douglas cross, and turned it past the keeper, and in front of a 1,500 crowd, Chow headed the third from a Christian Graham corner.

However, the two other Northern League clubs went out.

Consett were furious with the referee for awarding a penalty in the dying seconds of normal time to let Surrey side Merstham back into the game.

Defender Carl Piecha was dismissed for a clash with a Merstham player despite the ball being in the other half of the field, and manager Ken Lindoe said: "Their player went down theatrically in front of the assistant referee, who flagged for a penalty. We were robbed.

"We were also annoyed that we kicked the ball out of play to allow one of our players to get treatment, but they didn't give us it back, and made it 2-1 instead.

I hope Merstham get Whitley Bay in the next round, because Whitley should beat them."

Consett looked good when they took the lead through Stephen Brown after 18 minutes, then Steve Johnson scored the second from a Brown cross on the hour. But Merstham pulled a goal back through Mark Simmonds, and Craig Bernon scored from the spot after Piecha was dismissed.

Mattie Moffat pounced on a mix up to make it 3-2 to Consett, and then David Pounder scored from a free-kick for the fourth.

But Merstham took control, and went through with three goals in 16 minutes.

Dunston lost 2-1 at Eastern Counties League side Lowestoft.

"We were abysmal in the first half, some of our players froze and we didn't get going until the second half," said manager Perry Briggs.

Lowestoft were two in front after 21 minutes. Dunston managed to get their game together after half-time, and pulled a goal back through Steve Preen on 80 minutes.