The Moors win and Chorley draw as the two gladiators prepare for the big match

Next Saturday Spennymoor Town entertain Chorley in the 3^rd Qualifying Round of the FA Cup 2016-17, my next stop on the Road to Wembley from Scotland. Yesterday the two gladiators continued their build up to the big game and they were both involved in league action.

Spennymoor hosted Stafford Rangers in the Evostik Premier Division and recorded a 1-0 victory. This latest win has lifted them up into 4^th place in the league and they looking like warm favourites to achieve an incredible 3^rd promotion in 4 seasons. All reports suggest that they were well worth the win against Stafford and could have won by more goals.

 

Stafford Rangers manager Neil Kitchen: bemused as to why the Moors are so good !

 Chorley are also going well in their league, the Vanarama National League North and yesterday travelled south to take on Telford. Over 1000 fans turned up to see a 0-0 draw. A lack of goals seems to be the story of my weekend. I have been to two football matches over the last two days and seen my beloved Hearts frustratingly draw 0-0 with Ross County and in the Scottish FA Cup I have just seen Leith Athletic draw 0-0 against Cumbernauld Colts. I am still miffed that the Hearts could not manage to beat a team from a village that has a smaller population than Fishtoft. Enough of my woes and back to Chorley. The Magpies had no alternative other than to ‘park the bus’ in front of the goal in the second half after their striker Marcus Carver was controversially sent off just after the interval. The Chorley web site describes their subsequent play as a ‘defensive masterclass’

Chorley's Marcus Carver: Controversially sent off yesterday - The Magpies will appeal

Both Chorley and Spennymoor have a midweek match to play before the big game next Saturday. The Moors have a difficult fixture away at Blyth Spartans on Tuesday night in a top-of-the-table local derby clash. By contrast Chorley have a low-profile Lancashire FA Trophy tie against Prestwich Heys on Wednesday. Chorley manager Matt Jansen is expected to rest key players against Prestwich to ensure that the squad are raring to go on Saturday.

 

The Brewery Field in sunlight: The Moors are expecting a big crowd next Sat

I have received the excellent match by match previews of the forthcoming FA Cup ties from the excellent ‘FA Cup Factfile’ site. For the match in Spennymoor next Saturday they have noted that: “This is the first FA Cup meeting between the two clubs. The Moors are one win away from equalling their best ever FA Cup run since reforming in 2005, whilst Chorley have made the 2nd Round Proper twice and in the recent past and have reached the 4th Qualifying Round in both the last two seasons.” It is weird that two famous clubs with long histories have never met before in the world’s most famous football competition. However, here’s to the weirdness! It promises to be a great game next Saturday. Brewery Field Spennymoor is my next stop on the Road to Wembley from Scotland and I am looking forward to it with great anticipation.