BARNTON knocked the favourites out of the Cheshire Amateur Cup on Saturday to set up a quarter-final tie in the New Year against the only other surviving Mid Cheshire League outfit.
Middlewich Town. The tie itself was turbulent, with both sides having a man sent off and the visitors, led by ex-Northwich Vics striker Ian Cooke, having a spell in charge.
But mostly it was Barnton and, overall, they were superb. Majic Starchevski and 17-year-old Chris Ghegan missed the first chances, but when Ghegan won a free-kick some 30 yards from goal, Aidan Brodigan immediately found the range to put Barnton ahead.
As the players trooped off the pitch at half-time, one of Cammell Lairds' play-ers aimed a verbal volley at a linesman and was sent off for foul and abusive language.
But the West Cheshire Leaguers proved more troublesome reduced to 10 men than with 11, and Cooke played a prominent part in their equaliser.
Barnton struggled at this point but their fortunes changed just as swiftly following the introduction of Dave Murray for striker Paul Hennin and Darren Kinsey for Gerry Coll.
Murray's cross, which the Lairds keeper could not hold, helped 16-year-old Kinsey to his first goal and he pounced for his second when Ghegan passed into the box.
With two minutes remaining, Richard Mottram gave away a penalty and, although the player he pulled down was heading away from goal, he was sent off. Lairds beat Steve Davies from the spot but Barnton could have easily doubled their tally against a side who beat them three times in the same competition in the 1980s.
Assistant manager Mark Warburton said: 'We were awesome at times but it is a pity we have drawn Middlewich now. Six West Cheshire sides still in it and we have to get each other!'
