AFTER banking £1,000 from an emphatic FA Vase victory at the weekend, Nantwich Town's focus returns to the league on Saturday.

The Dabbers banked the tidy sum after a hat-trick from Wes Wilkinson inspired them to a 5-1 success against Grosvenor Park to set up a third-round tie at home to Coalville Town on Saturday, December 13.

Tim Alexander and playermanager Nigel Gleghorn were also on target as Nantwich stretched their unbeaten sequence to six matches.

Gleghorn said: 'The Vase is one of those competitions we could really do well in because we're playing against sides of our own level or below. It's nice to get another home draw and it was good to score more goals. That's 10 in our last two home games now.'

Wednesday's 3-1 derby win at Alsager Town gave Nantwich their third win in four league matches and Gleghorn admits that is the kind of form the Dabbers need to sustain if they are to achieve their aim of improving on last season's top-six finish.

Danny Griggs's 13th-minute opener was cancelled out on the half hour by Alsager's Steve Elks. But late goals from Adam Vickers and Mark Maguire helped Nantwich pocket the points, although Alsager's Ben Biddulph hit the crossbar as the home side staged a late fight-back.

Gleghorn said: 'The win at Alsager gave us 10 points from the last 12 and that's the kind of standard we need to keep if we are to get into the top five. That's still an aim with more than 20 games to go.

'It will be a hard slog but we've been very positive in the last few weeks and shown a little bit more mettle.

'We're looking like a decent side who look more capable. There is height and pace in the team and we've also got one or two what I call 'off the cuff' players who can win us a game that's tight.'

Gleghorn's men take on teams from both ends of the table in the next four days.

This Saturday, they visit base-ment boys Atherton Collieries and on Tuesday visit table-toppers Mossley.

Alsager's hopes of reaching round three of the FA Vase were ended by Leamington, who secured a 2-1 win with Andy Kinsey's late penalty proving no more than a consolation.

Leamington, who were reduced to 10 men in the second period, somehow survived and Alsager were left reflecting on a spate of missed chances.

But Town did receive a pay day of their own in the shape of bar takings from the best crowd of the round - 320 - which was swelled by a large travelling contingent.

Alsager host Curzon Ashton at the Town Ground tonight (7.45pm) and Woodley Sports on Saturday, before visiting Warrington Town next Tuesday.