Basking in exhaustion! More midweek action for Chorley and The Moors ahead of the big match. Both still going well

On Saturday Spennymoor Town will host Chorley in the third qualifying round of the FA Cup. I will be there as my next stop on the Road to Wembley from Scotland. Both teams were in midweek action over the last two nights and both confirmed that they are in fine form ahead of the big match.

On Tuesday night Spennymoor Town visited near neighbours and promotion rivals Blyth Spartans in an Evostik League Premier Division fixture. Croft Park in Blyth attracted a healthy crowd of 818 spectators for this North East Derby match. The game was fairly uneventful and finished honours even in a 0-0 draw. Both sides will be fairly happy with the result as it consolidates their top-five positions in the league.

Croft Park Blyth: Scene of  Blyth Spartans 0 The Moors 0 on Tuesday

Last night Chorley travelled to Prestwich Hays for a tie in the relatively low profile Lancashire Challenge Trophy. With Saturdays huge tie just over the horizon I expected Chorley manager Matt Jansen to rest many players. Although ex Greenock Morton Jason Walker was given the night off the Chorley gaffer surprisingly put out a very strong team. Eight of the side who knocked out Dunston UTS were on duty last night and the Magpies won at a canter by five goals to nil. Gonzales, Lynch, Teague and Carver (twice) were all on the scoresheet. The match was notable as it was the first time that Prestwich Hays had staged a match under their new floodlights. In the next round of the Lancashire Challenge Trophy Chorley are on their travels again and they will visit Squires Gate.

Last night's progamme: Chorley are the first opposition team to play under the new Prestwich Heys floodlights

The new floodlights are switched on in Prestwich last night

Both Spennymoor and Chorley have had a very busy and successful start to the season. The Moors have already played 11 games in all competitions and have only lost twice. Chorley have now played 14 competitive games in season 2016-17 and have lost only once. The next match for both teams is the FA Cup tie on Saturday. You would imagine that with so many good results under their belts both teams would be basking in glory. However given the number of games that they have played I suspect that both teams are basking in exhaustion! Only two sleeps to go until the gladiators do battle. Brewery Field Spennymoor on Saturday here I come. Cannae wait.