Top scorer Ollie Pearce smashed in the lightning-fast opener after the visitors had failed to defend centre-back Zac Johnson’s long ball into their penalty box.

Pearce quickly added a second, Alex Hunt extended the lead before the half-hour mark and Josh Stones completed the scoring in a very one-sided FA Cup first-round clash.

A delighted Lindsey said: “It was a great start. We’ve been criticised about our kick-offs a few times this season, but I think what we did is hard to defend.

“We’ve done it a few times and have continued with it, because I always felt we might get something from it and what a finish it was and what a start to the game.

“If you score early, I know a big percentage of games then go in that team’s favour and it was so pleasing to go on and score four goals against a team who are very defensively strong.”

Northampton boast League Two’s second-meanest defence, but boss Chris Hogg admitted his players’ first-half efforts led to stern words at the interval.

“The first half was one of the slowest performances I have witnessed on a touchline and you can’t start a game like that and go 3-0 down in the blink of an eye,” he lamented.

“Some of the goals we conceded were so far off what we expect from each other.

“There were some good, honest conversations at half-time because we have to do better, but I take full responsibility for the result as I picked the team and sent it out there.

“I know this will be a grind of a season until we get to a stage where we can bring some help in, but we have to improve quickly.”