Lostock Gralam 4 Middlewich Town 1

ROSS Speight will stand down as Lostock Gralam manager next month after as a history-maker.

The Grey Lambs got their hands on the Mid-Cheshire District FA Challenge Cup for the first time after beating Cheshire League rivals Middlewich Town, putting behind them three previous defeats in the final.

Even their reserve team, in 2009, has lost previously in the showpiece.

Nor were they put off by failing to beat the Witches in league meetings between the teams earlier this season.

They took the lead after 17 minutes when leading scorer James Dean, after initially being denied by goalkeeper Martyn East, scored at the second attempt.

Town, beaten in only one of their previous 15 matches in all competitions, restored parity five minutes later when Stuart Tulloch’s header – from Steve Rowlands’ pass – left Lostock custodian Matthew Tucker stranded.

The Grey Lambs got lucky when Jack Bryning’s header was blocked, along with his follow-up attempt, from a corner.

Following a lung-bursting run on the counter, Callum Priestley prompted East to save smartly.

He had better fortune when heading in Kyle Wilding’s cross on the stroke of half time, a lead Lostock extended when Ryan Millington – left unmarked – planted a header past East shortly after the interval.

A fourth goal followed when the Middlewich net-minder, after reaching first a ball over the top, headed it against Wilding.

He made it 4-1 after running clear to score.

Town boss John O’Sullivan sent on Chris Lunn from the bench, and the front man sent an effort against an upright.

He then forced Tucker to parry from his next attempt.

Middlewich’s final chance went his way too, but he fired off-target after a free kick had been diverted into his path.

Lostock turn their attention to the JA Walton Challenge Cup on Saturday, when they visit Mersey Valley in the last eight, kick off 3pm.

On Monday, a win at Maine Road reserves in their final league fixture will propel them from the table’s bottom two.

Additional reporting by Nathan Morris