LOSTOCK Gralam responded to a setback seven days earlier in exactly the way their management duo hoped.
The Grey Lambs’ reward is a place in the semi-finals of the Mid-Cheshire District FA Saturday Challenge Cup – a competition they won last season.
“One of our targets is to retain the trophy and we’re one step closer,” said co-boss Dean Jones afterwards.
They began their defence by dispatching in-form opponents who arrived at Moss Farm with one defeat to their name from their previous nine matches in all competitions.
A breakthrough arrived on 12 minutes when James Dean slotted his 20th goal of the campaign.
And Lostock doubled their advantage after captain Carl Harvey’s enterprise in midfield preceded Jack Woolley finishing in style.
When Charlie Hatton steered in at the far-post from a rehearsed corner-routine before the break, the Grey Lambs had complete control.
The Cheshire League One promotion-hopefuls added gloss in the second-half when Woolley applied the finishing touch to a slick move Jones described as one of their goals of the season.
It put behind them a 2-1 defeat against Vulcan last weekend that ended a 16-match unbeaten run in the league.
Jones said: “We felt it was important to bounce back straightaway and to do it with a dominant victory was great.
“We expected Winnington to give it everything and so we were happy to see our lads match the intensity of theirs before then letting their quality show.
“At 4-0 we perhaps slacked off a bit but that’s understandable.”
It leaves Winnington seeking a reaction of their own when they return to action at Sandbach United reserves next weekend.
Lewis Wood, their manager, said: “We’re a better side than what we showed and that’s the most disappointing thing.
“We let ourselves down and saved our worst performance of the season so far for this game.”
The three other quarter-finals matches scheduled for last weekend were all postponed because of the weather.
Middlewich Town will try again to host their last-eight encounter with Over 3 Grange, while the Witches’ reserves are due at Barnton Wanderers.
They travelled there on Saturday only for the game to be called off shortly before kick-off.
Cuddington host Winsford Saxons at Norley Road in the remaining tie.
Kick-off in each is at 1.30pm and a penalty shoot-out decides the outcome if the scores are level after 90 minutes.
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