Lichfield City FC made it to the semi-final of the Staffs Vase after a 4-1 demolition of Bilston Town.
The West Midlands Regional League side were no match for Gary Birch’s City side who also missed a penalty.
The hosts were forced to reshuffle their pack in the warm-up after Adam Wood suffered an injury, but Lichfield were able to welcome back Liam Holt who has rejoined the club from Stafford Rangers.
Bilston had the first real chance of the game, but keeper Jon Clough produced a fine save with his feet – and it proved to be a crucial stop after Lichfield then went and took the lead after Mark Rose struck the post and Lewis Hayden tucked home the rebound.
The visitors thought they’d levelled, only to be denied by an offside flag.
But a swiftly-taken free-kick allowed City to double their advantage when Rose was sent through to score with the Bilston backline napping.
It could have been 3-0 after the break when Lichfield were awarded a penalty, but Holt’s spot-kick was saved the the keeper.
Rose was proving a constant thorn in Bilston’s side and he twice spurned chances before eventually adding his second of the game with a glancing header from Jordan Hunt’s cross.
Clough showed he hadn’t taken his eye off the ball either as, off-balance, he somehow clawed away a deflected effort which was heading for the net.
Lichfield made it 4-0 when Alex Cooper curled home.
Not even a late consolation for Bilston with the last kick of the game could take the gloss of City’s victory.
