A rampant second half performance saw Lichfield City secure their place in the semi-finals of the J.W. Hunt Cup.
A Liam Kirton brace was accompanied by goals from Leighton McMenemy, Luke Childs, Dan Lomas and Jack Edwards, as Lichfield recorded their 8th straight win on home soil.
Only five players kept their place in Ivor Green’s starting 11 that beat Highgate United last time out at the Trade Tyre Community Stadium. Cameron Dunn’s brace in the previous round of the competition earned him his spot on the team sheet.
Paget Rangers were quick to apply pressure on the Lichfield back line and fired two shots from distance at Lichfield’s number one James Beeson. However, it did not take the hosts long for the hosts to find their rhythm.
Liam Kirton’s dangerous cross in from the left flank was nodded behind for a corner, which gave Lichfield the opportunity they needed to take the lead. A pinpoint ball into the box from Luke Childs fell onto the head of McMenemy who crashed his effort home from close range.
Childs then doubled his side’s lead soon after. The left-sided technician capitalised on a square ball across from Dunn, broke free into the area and slotted the ball past Joshua Bennett in the Paget goal.
Dan Lomas then made it three after 40 minutes, and fully embraced the number nine shirt that he had been adorned with on the day. The Lichfield skipper met a low driven pass across the face of goal at the back post and rifled a shot into the back of the net.
However, Paget Rangers managed to pull two back in quick succession before the half-time whistle. An unfortunate Lichfield own goal trickled past James Beeson to offer the visitors a foothold in the game, before Paget’s Levi Henderson hit a wonder strike from range to pull it back to 3-2 on the stroke of half-time.
Just the one change was made in the interval, as Jordan Clement made way for Jack Edwards.
20 minutes into the second half, Lichfield extended their lead yet again, as Liam Kirton fired his initial shot from the edge of the six yards box straight at the Paget keeper, before he chipped the rebound into the back of the net to restore the two-goal lead.
The hosts continued the hunt as the second 45 wore on and were rewarded with a fifth when Jack Edwards’ fired a shot from just outside the left corner of the area, which beat everyone and nestled into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal.
The hosts’ sixth soon followed as Childs burst in behind the black and yellow striped backline and unselfishly squared it to Liam Kirton to roll into an empty net.
The hosts kept pushing as the 90 minutes drew to a close, but no one could further impact the scoreline before the final whistle – which confirmed a J.W. Hunt Cup semi-final place for Lichfield.
Lichfield City will be back in action on Saturday against Highgate United, to play out the reverse fixture of last weekend’s home victory.
Lichfield City: Beeson, Burnside, Francis (Haines), Wykes, McMenemy, Clement (Edwards), Baxter (Holt), Lomas ©, Dunn (Taylor), Kirton, Childs.
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