WORCESTER City are just a two-legged semi-final away from a trip to Wembley as they stormed past Emley 4-0 in the Isuzu FA Vase quarter-final in front of a 1400 sell-out crowd at Claines Lane on Saturday.
Liam Lockett fired the hosts into the lead after 20 minutes of action on a difficult pitch at Claines before a defensive mix-up from Emley resulted in a comical own-goal on the stroke of half-time.
City soaked up some pressure after the break but when Lockett poked home a third, the result was put to bed.
Izak Reid added the cherry on top of the cake in stoppage time to make it a day to remember for the 1200 home fans, who received the plaudits from Worcester boss Chris Cornes afterward.
"I do not think it has quite sunk in what we have achieved and where we are now with this competition," he said at full-time. "What a day for the club, what a huge result. What everyone has done at this club, off the pitch, has enabled us to go and do what we have done on the pitch.
"The fans were electric again and I am delighted for them and everyone at the club today."
It was a slow start on a pitch that has had many an issue this season, but City settled quickest and got their rewards just after the 20-minute mark when Kyle Belmonte's cross into the box found its way to the feet of winger Lockett, who controlled and fired into the roof of Aleksander Petrovic's net.
James Walshaw was sent to the sin-bin moments later, but that seemed to revive the visitors and they created a string of chances that forced City keeper Haydn Whitcombe into a number of smart saves from close-range.
Having survived the mini storm, City were gifted a second just before half-time when defender Ross Hardaker's header trickled past the onrushing Petrovic and into the net.
It proved to be the decisive blow. The second-half saw Emley push for a route back into the game but they were unable to really test Whitcombe and City sealed the deal in the closing 20 minutes through Lockett's neat control and finish and Reid's late fourth.
The result was also the 15th win in a row in all competitions, which is a new club record, breaking the previous one set back in 1977.
"I thought we were fantastic at times," added Cornes. "Yes, at times we did also ride our luck but you have to in big games and Haydn (Whitcombe, keeper) made some big saves.
"But it could have been more than four and we fully deserved it. Their manager was full of praise for us afterward as well.
"Our work rate, our tempo, our press from the front made them look a little ordinary today.
"Did we see them at their best? Maybe not but Stourport were the same a few weeks ago. They are a good side and we made them look ordinary with how good we were and it was the same today."
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