KIRKHAM & WESHAM Football Club are in seventh heaven, and their dream of a Wembley date in May lives on after the competitions outsiders grabbed their seventh scalp in a quite remarkable run in the FA Vase this season by
handing the bookies second favourites Crowborough Athletic a knockout blow
in sun drenched Sussex on Saturday.
And Kirkham boss Mick Fuller reaped the benefit of doing his homework in advance of the tie as his side gave the classy Sussex outfit a second-half lesson in how to finish.
Fuller had prepared a three page dossier on his sides opponents, having had the Sussex County League Division One leaders watched less than a fortnight before.
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He said: "We did the same against Studley in the last round and it proved invaluable information for us.
"Crowborough are a good side with a potent forward line, but they have weaknesses and having them watched personally told me where we could get at them best.
"No side is unbeatable in this competition, including us, but we prepared the side right and its paid dividends again for us.
"The people at Crowborough couldn't have made us feel more welcome but I overheard some of their fans before the game say that they thought we were flash turning up in the Blackburn Rovers team bus and that got under my skin, because it was no where near the truth."
Indeed Kirkham did hire in the Rovers team coach and chose to stay at one of the area's leading hotels but for one reason only as Fuller explained.
"When you get this far in the competition you have to prepare the side right.
"We did that and its helped us today."
If Kirkham ended the game the stronger of the two sides, Crowborough showed why early on that they are unbeaten in their league at home this season and on top of their division.
Striker Dean Chamberlain fired over in the opening seconds, and when team mate Wayne Clarke scuffed his shot six minutes later, the home side had missed ideal opportunities to get in front early.
But the visitors did get one massive piece of luck thrown their way after 23 minutes when Chamberlain was again the instigator.
His fierce drive from 20 yards was parried out by Kirkham keeper Pete Summerfield and Crowborough leading scorer Ross Treleaven, nicknamed Grease Lightning' by Fuller in his dossier, fired home the rebound as the Kirkham
defence for once was caught on the back foot.
But Treleaven was ruled offside and the goal cancelled out, and when Kirkham midfield man James Sheppard clattered into Clarke on the stroke of half-time most of the travelling Kirkham fans must have wondered if he was
about to receive his marching orders.
Luckily for him the card was yellow.
Crowborough, who are walking tall in their league this season hadn't had time to settle into their usual rhythm three minutes after the break when a delightful three man move on the right from the visitors opened up the home
defence.
Paul Eastwood and Sean Paterson fed in Phil Blackwell and he did the rest for the opening goal - a well struck shot off the edge of the box into the bottom left corner.
The goal steadied any early second half nerves for Kirkham and if nothing else changed the Crowborough game plan.
Kirkham's Mike Clark displayed his silky skills in midfield after 55 minutes when he dummied and turned a couple of the home defenders inside
out, and just after, full-back Allan Jackson fired over at pace when he might have done better.
But when many expected Crowborough's 26-goal striker Treleaven to carve an opening out, it was Kirkham's 17-goal top striker Sean Paterson who latched onto an excellent pass from substitute Ged Smith that sunk the Sussex
hearts.
On a mazy run across the box from the left he took his time, drew out home keeper Mark Oldroyd and fired low into the right corner.
And while Paterson's after goal celebrations may need working on, his ability to finish isn't, and the competitions outsiders were home and dry.
Heros? Well Kirkham had many, but there is one amazing fact that strikes home here.
Since tall defender Jon Moffatt arrived at the club from humble Second Division West Lancs League side Lostock St Gerrads in mid-November, Kirkham have won all 10 matches in which he has played.
And today again he was awesome, as was the whole of the Kirkham rearguard who can now look forward to a last eight date on March 1.
Fuller added after: "I'm so proud of my players. For the first time as manager of this side l actually welled up today.
"It was always going to be about how we played and l told the players that before.
"And while no one wants to think of Wembley just yet, even the players are now starting to believe that the dream might yet become reality.
"You never know where this may end up.
"They were tremendous."
Scorers: Kirkham & Wesham: Phil Blackwell 48, Sean Paterson 73
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