CHIPPENHAM 0 CLITHEROE 2 DAVE Burgess hailed his all-conquering Clitheroe heroes and declared: "Can a football manager's life ever get better than that?"

Burgess looked on with pride and admiration after his side earned a place in the FA Vase semi-finals against one of last season's finalists.

"It was a truly excellent display -- our biggest game for some time and the biggest occasion some of the lads -- not to mention me -- had ever been involved with.

"Chippenham really fancied it beforehand, but they were certainly very subdued at the final whistle."

Clitheroe were indebted to a magnificent display of goalkeeping by Chris Richens and a superb all-round effort to pull off a sensational victory.

Neil Spencer and Jason Jones were the all-important marksmen -- but there was much more to it than that.

"It was the solid and professional way we went about our business from first kick to last that really impressed me," said Burgess. "We had absolute determination and I think they were surprised by us to be honest."

Spencer missed an early chance after good work by Lee Cryer, who played with a hamstring strain and had to come off on the half hour.

But by then Clitheroe already had their noses in front; Barry Hart's cross knocked back across the face of the Chippenham goal for Spencer to head home.

Richens pulled off his best save of the afternoon just seconds after the re-start, a full length diving effort from point-blank range, and from that moment on the visitors always looked capable of holding out.

Teenage substitute Gary Jackson toiled away and played a big part in the decisive second goal, laying the ball across for Jones to hammer in an unstoppable left foot effort.

The crowd of close on 2,000 roared Chippenham forward and Clitheroe had to withstand constant pressure late on, but the biggest cheers at the end belonged to the 150-strong travelling contingent from the Ribble Valley.

Clitheroe now join Berkhamsted, Taunton and the winners of a replay involving Marske and Bedlington, in the last four.

The draw was set to be made at 5pm tonight and the Clitheroe boss has taken up an invitation to attend the ceremony at FA headquarters in London.