Chorley now take centre stage as the curtain finally comes down on valiant Dunston's FA Cup campaign

Saturday the 17^th September 2016

FA Cup Second Qualifying Round 

Dunston UTS 0 Chorley 2

A sunny day in Gateshead saw Chorley visiting the north east and travelling back to Lancashire having knocked the valiant Dunston lads out of the FA Cup. I picked up Dunston UTS on the Road to Wembley from Scotland in the Preliminary Round on the 20^th August. During the last four weeks I have seen them play 5 FA Cup ties, I have seen them score 9 goals and I have seen them play some great football. Yesterday they finally met their match as a physically strong, well organised and skilful Chorley team ran out worthy winners in what was another great match at the UTS Stadium.

Hence, I need to say farewell to Dunston but before moving on with Chorley I must record a massive vote of thanks to all at Dunston UTS who have given me such help with this blog / book and shown me such warmth and friendship and I now continue on the Road to Wembley from Scotland without them. Many people at Dunston have assisted this project and I feel I need to personally name them to thank them before moving on. Ken Fitzpatrick (ace Photographer and web site editor), Billy Irwin (Team Manager) Steve Wraith (Commercial Manager), Syd Bambrough (Bar Steward extraordinaire), John Thompson (Bar Steward and founder of the club), Beth from Greenock (from the Pie Stall), Tom Clark (Match reporter), Malcom James (a very different type of club Chairman) and last but not least all the players for putting on such a feast of football over the last month. I salute you all and wish you the very best of luck in your Northern League and the FA Vase campaigns. It has been a great experience for me to have been a small part of your season. I hope to visit the UTS Stadium again at some stage in the future.

Another smashing feature of the Road to Wembley from Scotland so far has been the opportunity to share the experience with friends and family. Yesterday it was great to travel south with my son Brian who also thoroughly enjoyed the day.

Me and ma laddie at the UTS yesterday: Pic courtesy of Ken Fitzpatick

This is how the day panned out.

Pre Match Communications: Full marks. Once again the friendly and accommodating people from Dunston have been very generous with their time and have provided timely updates regarding their club’s preparations for the visit of Chorley. For this tie however they excelled themselves. On Friday a got a direct twitter message from team manager Billy Irwin inviting me to arrive at 1330 so that I could take a couple of pics in the inner sanctum of the dressing room! This was an invite I was not going to turn down. Many thanks Billy. Nice one.

Your blogger and Dunston Manager Billy Irwin with the players before the match

The board in the dressing room reads: "Fear nothing and decide the outcome. Focus on what you want and then take it". A great sentiment. If only life was that simple.  

This tie was my first experience of liaising with Chorley and volunteer and devoted fan Paul Brennan has been fantastic in not only telling me about his club but also identifying the Chorley links with Bella Caledonia. The reports of Scots Chorley players from the 19^th century and the 1920s have been particularly well received. Great to read, and report, that Chorley have a strong Scots heritage. Paul was not at the match yesterday but I looking forward to meeting him in the next round on October the 1^st. I also got lots of help from the Chorley twitter feed including information about current Chorley striker Jason Walker’s spell in Scottish football. 10/10

Pre Match Pint: The nearest pub to the UTS Stadium is the Royal Hotel in Gateshead and despite not being particularly impressed when we were there for the Penrith match, we headed back there yesterday as we were well ahead of schedule for the 1.30 dressing room photo call. The pub was a lot busier than last time as there was a stag do in.

Assuming the guy in beige is the stag, some young lady has found quite a catch!

 Ken Fitzpatrick later explained that a few stag parties end up spending some time in Gateshead to access cheap digs before taking taxis into the Toon in the evening for the more traditional stag revelries.

The main pre match pint was after the short meeting with Billy and the players when Brian and I headed in to the club bar. Behind the bar club stalwarts Syd Bambrough and club founder John Thompson. John is the man who founded the club 45 years ago.

John Thompson and Syd Bambrough: A couple of bar stewards

A good pint of Guinness and a good crack with some of the Chorley fans. Also the racing on the telly 7/10

Programme: The programme is priced at only £1 and is good value. The 48 page publication has lots of adverts but also lots of interesting reading. Good coverage of the visitors from Chorley with the Chorley FC club history described and also extensive ‘pen pictures’ of the Chorley players. A good effort 6/10

Ground: Over the last month I have become increasingly fond of the UTS Stadium. I have previously commented on its facilities but yesterday in the strong sunlight it looked positively resplendent.

Arriving at the ground just before 1.30 pm

Considering it is housed within a densely populated area it has a surprising rural feel to it, being lined by attractive tall trees. 

The UTS Stadium bathed in sunlight yesterday

Everything seems ‘just so’ for a club operating at Northern League level. The playing surface deserves special mention as it is quite simply magnificent. Also you sometimes see famous people in their dugouts 8/10

Matt Jansen: Blackburn Rovers legend and current manager of Chorley

 Atmosphere: At 1545 yesterday after six weeks on the Road to Wembley from Scotland I finally heard singing! It lasted all of about 8 seconds and it was essayed by a small flock of about six Magpies just after Chorley scored their second goal. It went something like this: “Wem-ber-lee Wem-ber-lee we are the famous Chorley FC and we are off to Wem-ber-lee”. It didn’t catch on and it sort of tailed off even before the third Wembley. Good to note though that the first word sung on the Road to Wembley from Scotland was Wembley. No more singing heard in the second half.

The atmosphere was good. As with Penrith and Skelmersdale the visitors from Chorley were mostly made to feel very welcome by their hosts. Chorley brought three bus loads of fans with them and they had approximately half of the 333 fans in the ground. They clearly enjoyed their time both on the terracing and in the bar. Both sets of supporters offered great vocal support for their teams. One of the loudest voices urging the Dunston team on is their Chairman Malcolm James. The Chairman’s voice can be heard in all parts of the Stadium and he is not reluctant to take opposition supporters to task if he feels the need to. Just before the end of the match a boisterous Chorley fan shouted something that Malcolm felt insulted his team (I did not catch what it was). “Shut ye mooth ye gobshite !” was the rejoinder. The Chorley fan came back with “that’s a big word for a Geordie”. Coming to the Chairman's aid, “Take him back to Care Hurm” replied a different Geordie voice. All good stuff and great banter. I am impressed by a Chairman who can get away from the blazer and tie mentality and as we say in Scotland ‘gie it laldy!’. 8/10

Scottishness: As previously reported the link between Dunston and Bonny Scotland is a bit tenuous. Last time I was at the UTS I discovered that Beth the tea lady is from Greenock. Unfortunately Beth was not on duty yesterday. Chorley have a Scots heritage going back well over 100 years and the current tartan linkage is provided by Jason Walker. Front man Jason is from Cumbria but spent the first 7 years of his professional career in Scotland, first with Dundee and then with Greenock Morton. Jason played 75 times for The Ton and hit the back of net for them on a regular basis. Yesterday he was arguably man of the match. He did not get on the scoresheet but gave the Dunston back line a torrid time as his tireless work-rate and pace caused problems all afternoon. After the match he was kind enough to pose for a picture.  5/10

Jason Walker: Chorley striker who learned his trade in Greenock

Entertainment: Another Saturday in Dunston and another good match.  This time not a drop of rain in sight and the match was played in very hot conditions as the strong sunshine persisted throughout the game. Chorley deserved their win as they just had a bit too much about them for the gallant Dunston boys. Dunston missed the influence of their talisman Malky Morian up front and the combative contribution of Slaughter in midfield. Both were unavailable yesterday. Despite an identifiable gap in class at the end of the day it was only two defensive errors from set pieces that accounted for Dunston.

A Chorley corner causes chaos

The Magpies were well organised and pressed their opponents effectively. As a consequence the Dunston lads saw much less of the ball than in previous games and found it hard to get their passing game going. In previous games Lucock, Thear and Leedham had been identified as a dangerous unit who linked effectively, scored goals and passed the ball with authority and skill. Yesterday they were not quite on their A game and despite their best efforts they rarely troubled the opposition keeper. Over the 90 minutes, the Chorley defence did not suffer any undue consternation. The most forward player for Dunston was Heslop and he also worked hard and went close on a couple of occasions.

Dunston UTS defending another set piece

The goals were both scored in the first half. After two minutes a Chorley corner was not dealt with effectively by the Dunston defence and Andy Teague pounced to prod the ball home. In the final minute of the first half another set piece led to Chorley doubling their lead. Scott Leather powered a header past the Dunston goalie Stefan Holden

Dunston custodian Stefan Holden: The bearded cat

After half time Dunston struggled manfully to get back in the game. Fisher in midfield was winning tackles and urging his team-mates forward but it was just not their day. The best chances fell to the slick Chorley outfit and Roscoe, Leather and Walker all struck the frame of the goal in the second period.

Chorley's Paul Jarvis prepares to take a throw in

Final score Dunston UTS 0 Chorley 2. Chorley will have their name in the hat when the draw for the third qualifying round is made tomorrow lunchtime 8/10

Match Day Catering: The Dunston catering will not be beaten on the Road to Wembley from Scotland. Its impossible. The pies and the pasties are simply perfection. When Brian and I went to pay for our snacks at the pie stall yesterday we were told “these are on Billy they are already paid for”. What an amazing gesture. Many thanks Billy – given my enthusiasm for these particular culinary delights this was very much appreciated. I doubt very much that as the ‘Road’ winds on if I will have Jose Mourinho opening up a tab for me at the Old Trafford pie stall in the later rounds.  10/10

A last lingering look at the legendary Dunston pies. Mouthwatering !

 Value for Money: Dunston resisted the temptation to increase their prices for this attractive FA Cup tie. The admission price of £6 is something of a bargain to see a great young enthusiastic team pitting their wits against a team currently placed 4^th in the Vanarama National North League. Good football on display too 9/10

The je ne sais quoi factor: The unexpected feature of this match was being given the ‘Access All Areas / Backstage Pass’ treatment. For a football anorak in his late fifties to be invited in to the home dressing room before such an important match was a great thrill. All the lads were in good spirits and it was good to have the opportunity to wish them the best of luck.

The Dunston dressing room at 1.30: Billy Irwin prepares to give his team talk

Then to discover that the manager has paid for your pies and pasties is truly remarkable. Nice one Billy. Nice one Dunston UTS. Dunston UTS are a model non-league club. Well organised, friendly hospitable and most important of all committed to playing good football and providing an opportunity for promising young players to improve and prosper. I am going to miss my visits to the UTS Stadium

A great day out in Gateshead yesterday. 10/10

Overall Road to Wembley from Scotland Rating 81/100 (highest so far)

So, Chorley are now ‘my team’ on the Road to Wembley from Scotland. I am looking forward to spending some time with The Magpies. The draw for the next round is made tomorrow lunchtime. Will I be heading for Victory Park in Chorley or will by I be following the Magpies away? Visit this blog tomorrow afternoon to find out.

Miles on the clock for this match 256

Total Miles on the Road to Wembley from Scotland so far 1640