TAUNTON Town's interim manager Rob Dray described Wednesday's FA Cup demolition of St Albans City as "the most complete performance" he's seen from any team he has overseen.

The Peacocks set up a fourth round qualifying tie with St Albans' fellow National League South side Billericay Town - and bagged £15,000 in FA prize money - with a 5-2 victory.

READ MORE: Peacocks' FA Cup run goes on as St Albans put to the sword

I put it to Dray that, while Taunton have beaten higher-ranked teams before, I had never seen them dismantle one before

"No, neither have I," he replied.

"I think this was the most complete performance I've seen from any team I've been in charge of - it was frightening.

"I didn't really see it coming, I expected [St Albans] to be a lot better, but I think we made them look poorer than they actually were."

All five goals came from the hosts' midfield trio - Matt Buse and Ollie Chamberlain grabbing a brace apiece, and Ryan Brett the other.

Dray said: "We've always said that we can score goals from five areas, we can score from anywhere.

"Chambo and Busey probably did 12 or 13 kilometres tonight.

"They're great lads, they're quiet assassins who get on with their job; they don't say that much but they run, head, tackle and when they get a chance they'll score.

"The two boys up front [Andrew Neal and Dan Sullivan] were absolutely selfless tonight, they just worked and worked.

"They didn't give the [St Albans] defence a chance to breathe, and they made their defenders look amateur at times tonight."

Having led 4-0 after 53 minutes, the Peacocks were pegged back by two goals from the visitors, but they held firm and completed the job with Buse's second strike, in stoppage time.

"It was all about managing the second half, as they were always going to have a spell," Dray said. 

"But we showed real minerals at 4-2 with 15 minutes to go, and to finish the game like that [with a fifth goal] was fantastic.

"We brought Keith [Emmerson] on to give us that little bit of extra stability, but we were fantastic at the back.

"Josh Nelmes - that was the best game he's had for us, he ran an absolute mile, and I think he needed that one.

"Everyone to a man was superb... Pierce Mitchell has been a completely different player the last two games, and I'm so glad we have him on contract.

"They're a great group of lads, and to an extent they manage themselves, they just need little pointers from us.

"I'm so proud of them, I'm pleased for the club and everyone involved.

"These moments that you get in football, you might get half a dozen in your whole career, so you have to enjoy them."

The team's reward is a trip to National League South leaders Billericay Town, where one more win will put Taunton into the FA Cup first round proper for the second time in three seasons.

Before that, the Peacocks face two league games, both away from home - at Poole Town on Saturday (ko 3pm), and Dorchester Town on Tuesday (ko 7.45pm).

Dray added: "Here we go again! But we have Poole and Dorchester in between - they're our bread and butter games, so we have to keep our heads down, keep focused and keep ploughing on.

"[The FA Cup tie] will be in the back of our minds, but we won't worry about it until after Tuesday night."