Gary Setchell's smile said it all as he jokingly declared 'Ross Watson's 'wonder' goal was definitely a cross'.

The Linnets boss was left grinning from ear-to-ear after his title-chasing side had kept their dream of a glorious double alive by destroying Peterborough Northern Star 7-0 in Tuesday's United Counties League Cup semi-final.

And who could blame him? He had made five changes to his side, played Ross Watson in an unusual holding midfield role and watched as the Linnets – playing in a new fluid 4-2-3-1/4-1-4-1 formation – annihilated a PNS outfit who had reached this season's FA Vase quarter-finals.

To cap off a perfect evening, youngster Ciaran Beales also came off the bench to grab his first senior goal for the club.

Setchell said: 'Obviously it was an easier night than we anticipated.

'When you're playing against what I consider a top-five side and FA Vase quarter-finalists we thought it would be tougher.

'We made five changes to the team and tried a new system – it worked – and we're very happy. But the win wasn't about systems, it was about hard graft.

'We outworked Peterborough Northern Star in every department and we scored some fantastic goals. 'We just bossed the game from start to finish. We put Ross Watson into the middle of midfield who gave us that little bit of strength. It helped get Danny White and Luke Thurlbourne further up the pitch and Robbie Harris and Danny Beaumont high and wide.

'It's something we'll look at in certain games between now and the end of the season. It was just a very pleasing night all round.'

Jack Defty's hat-trick, captain Watson's brace – including a 30-yard lob from out wide – and strikes from Beaumont and Beales completed the rout.

The triumph leaves the Linnets boss with a nice selection headache ahead of Saturday's league trip to Wellingborough Town.

The Linnets boss said: 'The two boys at the back – (Ryan) Fryatt and (Dan) Buhlemann – were different class.

'Ryan gets better and better every time he plays. The boy's going to be a good player. Jordan Yong came back in and did well. We've got a good squad.

'We've got five or six players to come in for the weekend and it's a lovely headache to have.

'The players know we've got a good squad and I've moved it around loads over the last 10-12 weeks and not one player has come up to me and moaned about being left out or being rotated.

'The lads are getting on with it. At the minute, we're winning games, keeping clean sheets and we're scoring goals as well, whatever personnel we're putting out on the pitch.'

Setchell, who is still chasing a right-sided midfielder to replace Steve Spriggs, will be hoping for more of the same on Tuesday when his charges welcome Stewarts & Lloyds Corby to The Walks for a UCL tie.

Title rivals Long Buckby thrashed Thrapston Town 7-1 in the league on Tuesday and travel to Spalding United on Saturday before welcoming Cogenhoe United on Tuesday.