Knaphill crashed out of the Aldershot Senior Cup with an emphatic 6-0 defeat at Isthmian League South Central Division outfit Hartley Wintney, who capitalised on their chances ruthlessly.

Despite a positive start, Knaphill were undone by two quickfire goals early on, and Hartley controlled the game from there.

A first-half double from Seb Karczewski put Knaphill behind before Conor Lynch (2), Ellis Orsborn and Sam Bartlett rounded off the win.

Knaphill started brightly, moving the ball forward well but without creating clear-cut chances.

The game looked even in the opening exchanges, but Hartley Wintney quickly took control and punished Knaphill when the opportunity came.

The breakthrough arrived when a cross from the left fell to Karczewski at the back post.

His initial shot from two yards out crashed against the crossbar, but the ball bounced straight back to him. Reacting quickly, he looped a header into the top left-hand corner, giving Knappers keeper Sam Gray no chance.

Minutes later, Hartley doubled their lead.

A corner from Calvin Camara ended up at the back post, where Tom Drinkwater got a touch in a bit of a scramble with Knaphill players around him. The loose ball fell kindly to Karczewski, who tapped it home unmarked to make it 2-0.

From there, Hartley controlled the game until half-time, dictating possession and keeping Knaphill at bay.

The visitors struggled to break forward, and Hartley went into the break comfortably ahead.

Knaphill needed a response but conceded within five minutes of the restart.

George Wallace drove forward from left-back and delivered a cross into the box. Knaphill failed to clear their lines, and the ball eventually fell to Lynch, who dispossessed Yahaya Kamara at the edge of the box and drove the ball into the bottom left-hand corner.

Hartley struck again soon afterwards. The ball fell to Orsborn at the corner of the six-yard box, and he drove a low finish into the bottom left-hand corner past Gray.

Knaphill had a brief spell of possession but continued to struggle in the final third.

Hartley remained clinical and extended their lead when Lynch picked up the ball on the left-hand side of the box, cut inside, and curled a superb strike into the bottom right-hand corner past Gray.

Despite the scoreline, Knaphill almost pulled one back.

George Sellick broke down the left with an excellent run and delivered a dangerous cross into the box. Hartley Wintney keeper Nick Jupp pushed the ball towards the far post, where Ferrell Danso managed to get a touch. His effort flicked against the post, and Hartley cleared the danger.

Danso broke clear of the Hartley defence shortly afterwards after a through ball, driving towards goal. However, as he approached the box, the Hartley defence recovered well, dispossessing him before he could get a shot away.

Knaphill’s late spell of possession was undone when Camara broke forward with the ball and quickly released Bartlett, who cut inside past Dale Burnham before driving the ball into the bottom right-hand corner past Gray, rounding off the night with a well-placed finish.

It was a tough night for Knaphill, who started positively but were undone by Hartley Wintney’s clinical finishing.

Despite a late spell of pressure, the Knappers left themselves open to counter-attacks, and the hosts took full advantage.

By James Carpenter