TRANMERE Rovers are through to the first round proper of the Emirates FA Cup after their 3-1 win away against FC Halifax Town.

Goals from Connor Jennings, James Norwood and Liam Ridehalgh secured Rovers' passage into the next round following an excellent display.

Connor Jennings opened the scoring with the first real opportunity as a neat passing move concluded with Ollie Norburn playing in Jennings who slid the ball coolly into the bottom corner.

The hosts had a chance to restore parity on 15 minutes when Scott Davies brought down Adam Morgan inside the penalty area.

The striker picked himself up but his penalty was well saved by Rovers' number one.

Parity was reached a couple of minutes later as Ben Tomlinson rounded Davies on the right and his ball across the face of goal was turned into his own net by Stephen McNulty.

James Norwood had a chance on 25 minutes when Jennings played him in down the left but his effort lifted over the goalkeeper but drifted wide of the target.

Norwood could have had a hat-trick with efforts over the bar after an Andy Cook piledriver from distance and a header off the goal line from a Jeff Hughes corner.

But he finally got on the scoresheet in style two minutes into first half added time with a sweetly struck left footed shot from 25 yards which flew in to the bottom corner of the net past Sam Johnson and gave Rovers the lead at the break.

Eleven minutes into the second half, Rovers extended their lead with a stunning strike.

Adam Buxton was brought down just outside the penalty area, Liam Ridehalgh set it up and fired in a sublime free kick which went in off the inside of the post and crossbar giving the goalkeeper no chance.

On 68 minutes, Micky Mellon made a double change with Dylan Mottley-Henry and Andy Cook replaced by Mitchell Duggan and Gerry McDonagh.

The home side pressed to get back into the game and Scott Davies punched a couple of crosses away from goal before Matty Brown headed wide from a right wing free kick.

Norwood had a couple of chances for further goals and tested the goalkeeper but Rovers kept the two goal lead and go into the draw for Round One.

Match stats:

FC Halifax Town: Johnson, Moyo, Wilde, Brown, Garner, Hotte, Oliver, McManus, Tomlinson, MacDonald, Morgan. Subs: Lynch, Nicholson, Clarke, King, Hibbs, Charles.

Tranmere Rovers: Davies, Buxton, Ridehalgh, McNulty, Sutton, Hughes, Norburn, Mottley-Henry, Jennings, Cook, Norwood. Subs: Pilling, Mangan, Waring, Harris, McEveley, Duggan, McDonagh.

Attendance: 1630 (358)