HIGHWORTH TOWN will face North Shields in a two-legged FA Vase semi final if they can beat Tadcaster Albion on Saturday.

The Worthians drew 1-1 with the Yorkshire side at The Elms after extra time and now tackle the 180-mile journey for the replay on Saturday.

The winners will host North Shields in the first leg of the semi final on March 21.

“It’s great for the club," said Highworth boss John Fisher, whose side are just three games from Wembley.

"We’re disappointed that we’ve drawn but when you look at it and realise how far we’ve come – we’re still there."

The game at The Elms was played out in front of a bumper crowd of 771.

“When you’re a footballer and you play in front of big crowds, I don’t think you know how many are there because you’re just involved in the game," said Fisher.

The deadlock was broken on the hour mark when Callum Parsons leapt with Albion goalie Tom Morgan before being bundled over, allowing TJ Bohane to fire the Worthians in front from the penalty spot.

But eight minutes later an apparent handball in the box saw the visitors awarded a spot-kick of their own, which was confidently dispatched by Callum Ward.

Dan Drewett, Ash Taylor and Nathan Blackford all came close to snatching a winner for Highworth while Tadcaster’s Ward volleyed just over and Liam Ormsby headed against the bar in the dying stages of extra time.

“I felt we had the better chances to have won it," said Fisher. "Ours was a penalty, I’m not quite sure if theirs was a penalty.

“In extra time, I thought they looked quite strong and we looked a bit tired but looking back, a draw was a fair result.

“There was a great turn-out with the crowd, so it’s just onwards and upwards for next week now.

“I think they think they’re through, but so did Tunbridge Wells. I know what our boys are like, so we’ve got nothing to fear.”

Despite the magnitude of the occasion, Fisher took up his usual first-half position on the opposite side of the ground from the home dugout, leaving him submerged deep among the visiting Tadcaster fans.

The Highworth boss said: “I always watch it from that side of the pitch. Normally it’s not among the fans because I’m usually on my own and I will do it again next week.

“It’s just a thing I’ve been doing since I started as a manager because I just see something different and when we go in half-time, we have two different opinions rather than the same opinion all the time.

“I was among a lot of them (Tadcaster fans) and they were a very friendly lot. They didn’t realise I was the manager until I told them.”