Yesterday in the Northern League and the National League North: Dunston and Chorley warm up for the Big One

It was back to league action yesterday for my two current teams on the Road to Wembley from Scotland. In advance of the FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round tie next Saturday Dunston were at home to Newton Aycliffe in the Northern League and Chorley entertained Brackley in the Vanarama League North. Neither team got the confidence booster they were looking for in advance of the Big One. Dunston surprisingly lost to 2-1 in a match where they never fully recovered from conceding a very early goal. They did equalise but then the mercurial Liam Thear was sent off and then they conceded a scrappy to lose by the odd goal in three. I am hoping that Thear (who has found the net regularly on the 'Road' so far) will not be suspended for the cup tie next Saturday. Chorley took an early lead against Brackley but the visitors eaqualised just before half time and the game finished 1-1.

As I said in my post on Wednesday it was sad to say goodbye to the good people of Skelmersdale following the replay in West Lancashire last Tuesday between Skem and Dunston. As a parting gift the Skem programme editor, Kev Panther, has sent me a pic of the second Skelmersdale goal from the first match between the two sides. I include it here and it has to be one of the most sharply-in-focus sports photographs I have seen. The photo is included with the kind permission of Andy Potts the photographer

It's just over the line: Second Skem goal at the UTS last weekend. Your blogger sharply in focus 2 from the post

Kev also sent me a link to the highlights package from the match in Gateshead and I include the link here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45n55llnHBs&feature=youtu.be Very amusing to see he has included footage of my travelling companions (brothers Martin and Stephen and also Phil Storey) in the opening sequence. Nice one Kev.

Also over the weekend I got sent details of a new Scottish football web based periodical launching imminently called  'Nutmeg' by my good friend Alan McCusker-Thomson. From what I have seen this is going to be a rattling good read. Details can be accessed via https://www.nutmegmagazine.co.uk . Nutmeg is of course a footballing term used to describe the skill of beating an opposition player by passing the ball through his legs. Alan had another reason for sending me the link. It reminded him of the time when he and I were teenagers at Stirling University and I took huge quantities of nutmeg (totally legal of course) in a partially successful attempt to achieve a hallucinogenic experience. Nutmeg was considered to have these properties. It worked but my guts were wrenching for days. A nostalgic reminder of the bonkers world of Chris Donkin in the 1970s. Thankfully football gives me my highs these days and I am looking forward to another intoxicating experience at the UTS Stadium next Saturday when I will once again be on the Road to Wembley from Scotland