Highworth Town manager John Fisher has challenged his away-day specialists to produce one more performance on the road and book an historic trip to Wembley.
Fisher's side are 1-0 down after a nip-and-tuck semi-final first-leg at their Elms home, where around 1,200 turned out to watch the FA Vase clash with North Shields.
North Shields (1) v (0) Highworth Town
FA Vase semi-final, second leg
Ralph Gardner Park
3pm Saturday 28 March 2015
Highworth's visitors from the north-east were big favourites to progress to the Final, but they still have a lot of work to do after a valiant Highworth performance kept them alive and kicking in the tie. Now Fisher says the best is yet to come from his side, who have done their damage in away games throughout the competition.
First they despatched Windsor 4-1 away from home the First Round, then travelled to Blackfield and Langley and nicked a 1-0 win.
It was more of the same when they went to Tunbridge Wells and won on penalties in and then made light work of their Fifth Round trip to fellow Wiltshire side Bradford Town, winning 2-0.
And, after drawing with Tadcaster in their quarter-Final at the Elms, Highworth repeated the trick by winning the replay 1-0.
“Their supporters were walking off singing about Wembley but their manager knows nothing is ever done and dusted”
John Fisher Highworth Town manager
Fisher said: "It is only one goal which is gettable and we know we can get it. They are not looking at us thinking 'job done', their manager will know all our wins come from away from home.
"Their supporters were walking off singing about Wembley but their manager knows nothing is ever done and dusted. He says it's nowhere near over. He would've looked at our record away from home.
"The second half performance proved we can compete. They know it'll be really hard but we are going to give a go. All we need is one more big performance away from home and we are there."
So why have Highworth revelled away from home so much in this season's Vase?
"Well what it is," Fisher explained, "is the pitch at Highworth is bloody awful.
"But when we go away we can play. All the boys like to play on a nice surface. People think being at home is an advantage but quite truthfully our pitch is a disadvantage. It's a lovely place with great support. But that does not make the pitch any better."
Highworth are saving the longest trip for last with their 300-mile trek north to take on the Robins, with a place in the Final up for grabs.
And Fisher says they are "doing everything properly", as they bid to overturn the 1-0 deficit and make it a journey home to remember.
He said: "We're leaving 10.30am on Friday and staying near Newcastle. Then we've got the game on Saturday and we're going into Newcastle for a drink that night and staying over. Hopefully it will be to celebrate but getting straight on the coach for six hours having got beat would not be fun.
"All credit to the club, they're paying for both nights in the hotel and hopefully the expense will be worth it in the end."
