Manager Neil Baker made a number of changes to his side, restoring Johnson to the starting line-up, giving Alex Morris and Niall Maguire their first starts of the season and handing a debut to new signing Scott Lycett.

Tim Grice came close early on when Lairds keeper Richard Cowderoy beat away his 5th minute strike.

The NW Counties League side dug in and Blues found it difficult to create many openings although Lycett picked up a clearance following a corner and saw his low drive cleared off the line.

Town looked a much better proposition after the break and a great defensive block denied Johnson a shot on goal in the 48th minute.

On 55 minutes Niall Green's strike was superbly saved by Cowderoy and three minutes later Morris saw his strike from the left beaten away and Maguire hit a shot from the rebound that hit the outside of the post.

The goal looked like it was coming and it arrived in the 62nd minute when Johnson rose highest to nod home Dan Shelley's free-kick.

Blues piled on the pressure and Grice had a shot just wide, Maguire's low effort was pushed away at full stretch by Cowderoy and a lovely move saw Green played in but he was dispossessed as he tried to round the keeper.

The second came in the 72nd minute when Shelley notched his second assist with a lovely ball through to Johnson, who fired home despite Cowderoy getting a hand on it.

Johnson almost completed his hat-trick with two further chances but Cowderoy made two more great saves to deny him.

Lairds best chance came five minutes from time but Kieran Hamm put his header over leaving Ben Chapman in the Blues goal a relatively untroubled afternoon.

So a satisfactory afternoon's work for Bakers boys, a first win of the campaign, £1925 in prize money banked and a place in Monday's First Qualifying Round draw.

View the match photos here.

Team: Chapman, Green, Morris, Grocott, Curley, Lycett, Maguire (Kearns, 86), Blake, Grice (Budrys, 75), Johnson (Stevenson, 89), Shelley

Unused Subs: Faulkner, Higham, Beaumont, Wyatt

Yellow Card: Curley

Attendance: 242

VP's Man of the Match: Jordan Johnson

Match Sponsored by Rogers Barber Shops.