Lichfield City FC’s FA Vase campaign came to an early and abrupt end at Hanley Town.

Any hopes of a run in the competition were dashed as Dave Langston’s men were on the receiving end of a 5-1 scoreline in the Potteries.

Hanley signalled their intent early on, seeing a header go wide and a volley clattering the woodwork as they enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges.

City goalkeeper Jon Clough was then forced to tip over a free-kick as the home side continued to press, but it was merely delaying the inevitable as Ryan Dicker stabbed the ball home on 27 minutes.

The goal seemed to spark Lichfield to life as Daniel Griffiths and Josh Haston both failed to convert half-chances.

But City’s hopes of an immediate comeback were dashed in first half stoppage time as a challenge in the box saw Hanley win a penalty which Dan Cope converted.

Lichfield needed a bright start to the second period if they were to have any hope of salvaging anything from the game – and they did just that as Osiris Robertson netted five minutes into the second half.

But the hard work was undone just two minutes later as Cope bagged a second with a tidy finish.

Things would not get any better for Lichfield either as Theo Stair scored for Hanley on 56 minutes.

A fifth goal for the Stoke-based side always looked likely and it arrived with 20 minutes left on the clock as Jon Sheldon fired home from just inside the box.

Lichfield did show some late fight as Luke Chapman’s effort was well saved, with the resulting corner seeing a header come back off the bar before being hacked away by the Hanley defence.

City will need to pick themselves up before next weekend as they return to Midland Football League action against Coventry Copsewood.

Founder of Lichfield Live and editor of the site.