Ace reporter and creator of goals - Liam Sowter!

Ace reporter and suspended - Paul Milward!

In tricky conditions Rocester started the game very brightly and soon had chances falling to Gavin Reynolds and Tommy Smith who were both unfortunate not to convert.

Their dominance was eventually rewarded on 15 minutes when Jon Lamburn smashed in a volley at the near post from Liam Sowter's corner.

However, the Romans failed to capitalise on their lead and Alsager clawed their way back into the game. They found an equaliser before the break through their captain Adrian McGarry, who gave Paul Wood no chance with a well-struck shot from the edge of the area.

Alsager hit the bar just before the interval but Rocester responded to some encouraging words at half time with a good start to the second half.

It wasn't long before Rocester regained the lead, and again it was a goal neatly set up by Sowter. After picking the ball up on the halfway line he ran at the visiting defence before threading the ball through to Smith who found the net with a clinical finish.

Once again Rocester didn't hold their lead and after a good spell of pressure from Alsager they pulled it back to 2-2 when Danny Beard fired a shot into the bottom corner.

At this stage the outcome was in the balance, but Rocester deservedly won the game when Smith notched his second goal of the game with just five minutes remaining.

Alsager threw everything forward in the closing stages but Rocester closed out the game to book their place in the last four of the competition where they will face a difficult trip to Stretton Eagles.

Manager Steve Swanwick was again well pleased with the result, and praised the quality of his teams' performance.

"This was a great result for us against a decent side, and for us to be able to field a team of that strength when we had so many players out for one reason or another proves just how far we have come as a club."

"As a reserve team it is  nearly impossible to win a league title so the cup competitions are our only realistic chance of winning anything. We have made two semi-finals now, and I am hopeful that we can take it a step further and bring some silverware back to our club."