North Shields skipper Kevin Hughes is hoping that Shields have the same long distance good fortune at Highworth today as they had in the last round.

The Northern League club made the long trip down to Wiltshire yesterday in order to play the Hellenic League side in the semi final, hoping that they have a similar result in the last round to bring back to the north east for the second leg next Saturday. They won 2-0 at Erith and Belvedere in the last round.

“I think today’s trip will be similar to Erith in the last round in many ways,” said Hughes.

“For that game, we travelled the day before, had a good night in the hotel, and had a pre match meal. We prepared for the game really well, the management team had thought everything through. As a group, we were really strong for the game itself. Mind you, I think a couple of the lads have got some stick from their partners for being away too much!

“I think we’ll be cautious in the first half, and not commit too many players forward. The first aim will be not to concede, and hopefully we can come back with a win.

“I’m always pretty confident that we will score in any game, purely because of the players we’ve got. Gareth Bainbridge, for example, has scored in every game bar one in the run so far.”

Shields have a two legged game to think about this time, with the second leg to come at the Daren Perrson stadium next Saturday. That game is already looking like a sell out.

“We’ll try and play our normal game, there’s no point in changing formation or anything like that. The manager has been to watch them, and I’m sure he’ll have some ideas on their formation and how they’ll attack. We’ve spoken about them when we’ve trained twice this week.

“Wembley hasn’t been talked about much at all in the changing room, it’s mainly the supporters who have talked about it. But it is in the back of our minds that Wembley is only two games away.

“The supporters have been brilliant, there were plenty of them at Erith cheering us on, and hopefully there’ll be just as many today.”

Highworth, from Wiltshire, have never been to this stage of the Vase before, and manager John Fisher said; "We haven't been past the fourth round so for us to go this far is amazing. Every round has been different and we could have gone out on a couple of occasions but I know people think we can't do it. I am happy for people to write us off, I don't mind that, it puts the pressure on the opposition. People have taken us lightly so far and look where it has got us so you would hope that North Shields do the same thing from our point of view."

"I think the belief grew when we played Tunbridge Wells. I think many people thought that would be it for us. That made us realise this is possible, the way I look at it now is it's a two leg semi final so why can't we do it. We have beaten two top teams in Tunbridge and Tadcaster so why can't we beat North Shields?

"The town is starting to get into a bit of a fever about what is happening and that's great. There is a buzz about the place now but people were saying to us that we wouldn't reach the semi finals. Now we are there it has been fantastic to see the response. The phone calls and messages we are getting are great but we don't want it to end, or if it has to end then make sure it is with the trophy in our hands."

Highworth play in the Hellenic League, the same league as Ascot United who lost in the quarter finals. They defeated Tunbridge Wells, whom Spennymoor beat in the 2013 final, in the fourth round.