An entertaining FA Cup tie saw Chasetown edge out their Staffordshire rivals Rocester with all three goals coming inside the first half.
Rocester took the lead with their first serious attack. Chasetown defender Chris Slater gave the ball away and the lively Edwin Asante-Ahenkorah advanced on goal and neatly side-footed past Ryan Price.
The Scholars were level within a minute. Midfielder Dave Bate tried his luck from outside the box and his right foot shot fizzed past Rocester keeper Richard Froggatt.
The home side went ahead on the half hour. Mark Branch chipped in an accurate free-kick from just outside the penalty area and unmarked Gary Hay headed home from less than six yards out.
With the confidence of being ahead, Chasetown played some lovely football and a Nick Wellecomme cut-back found Hay, only for his shot to be blocked by a defender.
Craig Harris’ men ended the half on top and a Mark Branch free-kick curled inches wide of the upright a minute before the break.
Chasetown knew they were in a cup tie though as Rocester were not lying down without a fight. Just short of the hour mark, Ryan Grocott fired goalwards from long range and Ryan Price held well at full stretch above his head.
Scholars skipper Richard Teesdale ought to have made it 3-1 when the ball ricocheted to his feet, but he failed to connect with the ball sweetly and it ended up well wide of the target.
Chasetown were looking likely to add to their tally and Froggatt saved well to deny Hay and then Wellecomme was blocked out, following a right-wing cross from Jon Richardson.
Midway through the second half, Rocester hit the post when Asante-Ahenkorah found space on the edge of the penalty area and saw his effort come back off the post.
Harris introduced Jono Gould for his first team debut after 68 minutes and the teenager made an instant impression on a noisy Scholars crowd with two direct and purposeful runs into the box that were eventually crowded out.
In an end-to-end second half, former Scholars midfielder Craig Holland saw a goalbound attempt at goal blocked, and then Froggatt was called into action with a double save to keep out Gary Hay.
In the dying minutes, substitute Paul Sullivan went close to adding a decisive third goal with a first time shot, whilst Ryan Price held onto a rasping drive from Chris Sterling.
Despite all the second half attempts at goal though, neither side added to the first half goals and Chasetown progressed into the First Qualifying Round on September 8 to play Market Drayton Town at The Scholars Ground.
Chasetown: Price, Richardson, Branch, Slater, Bate, Teesdale, Westwood, Saunders (Gould, 68 mins), Wellecomme (Sullivan, 81 mins), Hay, Brown. Subs not used: M Johnson, Clarke-O’Connell, Downes, Maguire, Evans.
Rocester: Froggatt, McComisky, Rogers, W Johnson (Bullock, 55 mins), Perks (Smith, 89mins), Allen, Langston, Holland, Sterling, Asante-Ahenkorah, Grocott (Ward, 67 mins). Subs not used: Swain, McLeod.