NORTHWICH Victoria sent Vanarama National League outfit Stockport County tumbling out of the Cheshire Senior Cup.
Tom Kilifin’s 55th minute goal steered Vics into the quarter-finals with their first win in seven matches.
Vics played with the confidence of a side that looked as though it had turned a corner in the 2-2 draw at Hanley Town in the North West Counties Premier Division at the weekend.
A first clean-sheet in 21 matches points to this fact too.
They created the best of the chances against a club operating four divisions higher, though the side brought to Wincham Park by former Vics boss Jim Gannon was much changed to the one which lost 3-1 at home to Boreham Wood in the league on Saturday.
Only three of the same names appeared on the County teamsheet, while there were six non-contract players from the club’s academy on show, but the young side provided creditable opposition and Steve Wilkes’ men had to deliver their best display for some time in order to progress.
In the best of Vics’ other chances, Kilifin hit the post in the 43rd minute after charging past three defenders and seeing his shot at goal deflected.
And two minutes into the second half Josh Robinson cleared a Kieran Kenny header, from Ryan Winder’s corner, off his own line
It was from another corner that Kilifin netted the winner.
The striker headed home at the near post another Winder delivery from the tightest of angles.
The Hatters had a few opportunities from set pieces but they found Vics goalkeeper Danny Taberner equal to what came his way.
Teenage defender Jordan Downing, one of only five players in the side with County first-team experience, headed over the bar early on.
Two Frank Mulhern free-kicks in quick succession tested Taberner, who parried the first behind and dived to smother the second.
Taberner, standing in for recently signed Mike Hale who injured his groin at Hanley, was playing his last game for the club.
Vics will look to use this performance to build some momentum in the league again, starting at home against Avro on Saturday.
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