Delirious Stockport County fans travelled back down the A6 wreathed in smiles after their team completed a smash-and-grab act at arch derby rivals Macclesfield Town.
Under the cosh all afternoon the Hatters decisively took the lead in the 63rd minute with a classic near-post header from striker Liam Dickinson - his eighth goal of the season.
They put the icing on the cake deep into stoppage time when Macc keeper Jonny Brain could only parry a close-range Dickinson drive across the goal-line for strike partner Adam Proudlock to bury from close range.
Macclesfield dominated the first hour but came up against a brick wall in the form of Hatters' on-loan keeper Conrad Logan.
He was twice tested from long range in the first ten minutes by Adam Murray and then Levi Reid.
In the 13th minute he was lucky when youngster Jimmy McNulty blazed a half-volley over the bar from only ten yards out.
Macc's best move of the game came in the 21st minute when Francis Green held the ball up beautifully before laying it off to Reid who jinked past two men before setting up Murray for a close-range shot, but Logan was on hand to fingertip the ball wide.
The big keeper was again at his best in the 37th minute when he plucked a Green lob out of thin air, but his best save came after the break when Green lashed a fierce drive goalbound only to see Logan's giant claw palm the ball past the post.
Stockport woke up after their opener and Proudlock should have found the net in the 80th minute when he scooped an easy chance from ten yards out over the bar.