O'Connor at double for Diamonds
Aaron O'Connor struck twice as Rushden & Diamonds secured a safe passage into the FA Cup second round.
Blue Square North side Hinckley United got back on level terms for only a minute in the second half and Mark Byrne sealed the victory late on.
O'Connor put Diamonds ahead after half an hour with a low finish following Craig Farrell's flick.
Farrell should have doubled the advantage as former Diamonds keeper Chris Mackenzie dived at the striker's feet when he went clean through.
Byrne also came close before the break after Curtis Osano's mazy run.
At the start of the second half O'Connor found Byrne with a far-post header which Mackenzie pushed off the line.
They combined again for Byrne to blast over and within a minute Hinckley were level as Adam Webster nodded in Alex Taylor's left-wing cross.
However Diamonds immediately went 2-1 up with O'Connor slotting home and Byrne wrapped things up by lofting the ball over Mackenzie.
Hinckley's Neil Cartwright was dismissed at the end of stoppage-time for a second bookable offence.
Diamonds: Abbey; Corcoran, Osano, Stuart, Robinson; Byrne, Porter (sub Pattison, 82 mins), Terry, Tomlin; Farrell (sub Mills, 75 mins), O'Connor (sub Reid, 84 mins). Subs not used: Roberts, McNamara, McGuinness, Ainsley.
Hinckley: Mackenzie; Cartwright, Lister, Franklin, Giddings; Hall, Gooding, Lavery, Taylor (sub Collins, 82 mins); Webster, Eribenne (sub West, 66 mins). Subs not used: Hinds, Dillon, Roberts, Hamilton, Mace.
Referee: R Wigglesworth.
Goals: O'Connor (30 mins, 1-0); Webster (64 mins, 1-1); O'Connor (65 mins, 2-1); Byrne (82 mins, 3-1).
Sending-off: Cartwright (second bookable offence).
Bookings: Gooding, Cartwright (fouls).
Attendance: 1,540 (away fans 528).
Full coverage in Sport on Monday
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Sunday 27 May 2012
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