Spennymoor Town climbed into their beds at gone 4am on Wednesday morning after victory at East Thurrock United sent them in the FA Trophy quarter-finals – but boss Jason Ainsley says there's no dreaming of Wembley just yet.
The National League North side beat their National League South opponents 5-2 in Tuesday night's replay, with Andrew Johnson bagging a hat-trick.
Boss Ainsley felt they were fortunate to get a second chance and knows they've got a tough draw away at top-flight Bromley in the last eight, but they could upset the odds with a bit of luck just like many hope to do at UK online casinos.
“It was a great win,” Ainsley told The NLP. “I don't think we did ourselves justice on the Saturday. The problem with us is we have to play at our max to do well and I think we thought we could just turn up – that's not what we're about.
“So we were lucky to get a second bite of the cherry because East Thurrock could have been two or three up on the Saturday.
“I said in the team-talk, we need to show them what we are about and why we've had such positive praise all season because we didn't deserve a draw on Saturday. So credit to the lads, they went out and did that.
“It's a difficult draw down there – Bromley are scoring goals for fun. They're flying in the National League too. They've got some really good players and they'll probably be happy at the draw. We've got to make sure we utilise our strengths.
“We've been a match for more than most teams in the league this season, so we've just got to prepare well and let the rest take care of itself on the day.”
Expectations
Spennymoor have got well used to success in recent years with three promotions in the last four years and an FA Vase triumph in 2013.
They will travel to Hayes Lane after Bromley dispatched Workington 7-1 in a replay.
And Ainsley says he sometimes has to remind himself how far the Moors have come in a short space of time.
“I was talking about this to my assistant, Tommy Miller, the other day,” Ainsley added.
“We've gone up through the play-offs twice, so we've won four play-off games in the last two years. Big games to be involved in but if you win they're the best things. I think we've been used to big games.
“That's what disappointed me last week. You're playing in the last 16 of the major Non-League trophy and we felt we had to just turn up.
“That's because expectations have gone through the roof. I was driving home on Saturday really disappointed we haven't performed as well as we can.
“It's a bit surreal going away frustrated like last week – a few years ago we were in the Evo-Stik Division One not playing very well against Brighouse or in the Northern League getting beaten by Jarrow Roofing! It's been an unbelievable experience.”
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