CONSIDERING how confidently manager Mick Fuller directed the coach driver through the city to Coventry Sphinx's ground, one sensed that Kirkham and Wesham would still be on the right road to Wembley four hours later.

Just one more stop-off and his heroic FA Vase greenhorns will be there!
Provided all goes to plan, they'll reach the promised land via Needham Market on March 29, when they tackle the Eastern Counties League title favourites in the second leg of the semi-final. The Suffolk outfit travel to Kirkham on March 22.

While his players rejoiced and embraced at the end of the sixth round replay, Fuller retired almost anonymously to the dressingroom ready to plot the final path on this incredible journey.

Saturday's rematch didn't touch the heights of the 3-3 draw a week earlier. But who cared! Certainly the 100-plus travelling fans weren't bothered so long as the result was right.

Just as they'd done at Crowborough in the previous round, Kirkham got the vital breakthrough right after half-time in a dour, windswept contest. Sean Paterson's 21st of the season means he has scored in all but one of the nine Vase games.

Until then there was nothing to split teams who knew everything about each other after 120 rollercoaster minutes at Warton.

Coventry didn't make the most of the wind advantage in the first half but credit is due to Kirkham's defenders for not letting the two front men pose the problems they did a week earlier.

Kirkham's one pre-interval chance came very early when Mark Wane was denied by a last-ditch tackle as he raced onto a ball from Paul Eastwood, who had to be replaced by Mick Horsfall at half-time due to injury.

Keeper Peter Summerfield typified how his commanding presence inspired teammates by tipping round a snap shot midway through the half.

Throughout the 90 minutes the ball stuck to his gloves as if they'd been coated with superglue.

Four minutes into the second half Paterson stuck away the winner. Springing Coventry's offside trap from Phil Blackwell's measured pass into the box, the striker flicked the ball wide of helpless keeper Ashley Hooker to stun 650 home fans.

Thereafter Kirkham had a lot to soak up but Coventry's pressure was desperate rather than coordinated.

Phil Thompson, whose 50-odd appearances for Blackpool means he's ready-made for such situations, won every aerial duel as he and Jon Moffatt dominated the centre.

Summerfield tipped over a header from a corner before Richie Allen, five minutes after replacing Paterson, was relieved to see the referee awarded a free-kick on the side of the area when his trip was fractionally inside.

Kirkham created chances on the break. One shimmering run by Horsfall after winning possession deep in his own half carried the sub clear only for the onrushing Hooker to parry the shot.

Kirkham's relief at escaping a penalty was counterbalanced when Wane was hauled down in full flight just outside the area after Blackwell latched onto Hooker's rushed clearance kick.

For 209 minutes these adversaries slogged it out without a trace of malice. Suddenly tension turned to temper when Summerfield's legs were scythed.