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What the Adver says...

What the Adver says...

Mike Markham1 Mar 2015 - 18:10
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FA VASE: 'We're still there,' says proud boss Fisher

By Dan Barnes, Sports reporter

'We're still there,' says proud boss Fisher. "I can say we got to the semi-final draw!”

When the penultimate ties of this season’s FA Vase are drawn on Monday afternoon, manager John Fisher will be brimming with pride as Highworth Town’s name comes out of the hat.

The Worthians may have to travel more than 180 miles for a quarter-final replay at Tadcaster Albion next Saturday following the two teams’ absorbing 1-1 draw at the Elms on Saturday but Fisher has a strong sense of perspective as his club find themselves three games from a Wembley final.

“It’s great for the club. We’re disappointed that we’ve drawn but when you look at it and realise how far we’ve come – we’re still there,” said the Highwroth boss.

“It’s disappointing we’ve got to go up there (Tadcaster) but I’d rather be going up there than not be going up there(because we lost!).

“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 but they coped with everything I asked them to cope with and they’re adapting to everything they need to.”

The home section of the bumper 771 crowd at the Elms were almost silenced in the opening stages as Carl Stewart was played in one-on-one but Highworth goalie Garry Stevens pulled off a superb save.

Ryan King’s effort was ruled out for offside and then on the hour mark, Callum Parsons leapt into Albion goalie Tom Morgan before being bundled over, allowing TJ Bohane to fire the Worthians in front from the penalty spot.

But an apparent handball in the box as Stewart battled for space saw the visitors awarded a spot-kick of their own, which was confidently dispatched by Callum Ward to make it 1-1.

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

“I felt we had the better chances to have won it and the wind spoilt it but definitely, ours was a penalty. I’m not quite sure if theirs was a penalty,” said Fisher.

“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 turnout with the crowd, so it’s just onwards and upwards for next week now.

“I think they think it’s finished and they think they’re through but so did Tunbridge Wells.

“Let’s be fair, us having to travel all that way; they think they’ve done the job. But I know what our boys are like, so we’ve got nothing to fear.”

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

The Highworth chief said: “I always watch it from the side of the pitch. Normally it’s not amongst the fans because I’m usually on my own and I will do it 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 amongst 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.”

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