Chorley’s reward for claiming the FA Cup scalp of UniBond Premier Division pacesetters Ashton United is a baptism of fire at the Victoria Stadium against Blue Star North outfit Northwich Victoria in the third qualifying round on Saturday, October 10.

Manager Steve Waywell said: “A home draw would have been nice, but you’ve got to take what you get. We’ve got to deal with whatever we face.

“We’ll go to Northwich without fear – we’ve got to go looking for a result.

"The tie is there to be won and we’ve got to believe in ourselves, as we did against Ashton.

"It’s all about making progress and we’ve got to believe we can do it.

"It’ll be hard work but we’ve got to have no fear.”

It will be the Magpies’ first meeting with Northwich in a national competition.

The two clubs were league rivals in the Lancashire Combination before the First World War, the Northern Premier League in 1968-69 and 1970 to 1972, and in the GM Conference between 1988 and 1990.

Against Ashton, Waywell’s players responded to his call for extra commitment and concentration, qualities needed to achieve to the club’s best run for six years.

He said before the clash with his old club Ashton, where he had been assistant manager for a season in the 1990s: “I know they are at a higher level, but we’ll be up for it. I want us to keep winning.”

The Magpies made it four FA Cup wins out of four over Ashton in a time span of 63 years, the previous one being in the 1957-58 third qualifying round.

First Division leading marksman Terry Fearns put Chorley ahead at Victory Park in Saturday’s tie and after O’Neill took advantage of a brief lack of concentration to equalise in the 44th minute, Fearns again combined with Chris Amadi to head the 68th-minute winner.

It was ironic that Amadi had only days before turned down the chance to join Ashton, preferring to stay with Chorley.

Waywell, who didn’t mind his side being underdogs, reflected: “We could have won by a bigger margin.”

This is the first time Chorley have reached the third qualifying round since season 2003-04, when Mark Molyneaux took the side past Billingham Synthonia (after a replay), Selby Town and Whickham before they drew 1-1 with Lancaster City and lost the replay 1-0 at Giant Axe, the night Molly left the club.

Chorley went out of the League Cup in midweek, beaten 3-0 by Cammell Laird at Rock Ferry after a goalless first half. Defender James Mullineux gave away a disputed 90th-minute penalty and was sent off for the first time in his career.

The Magpies, who were visiting Colne in the Co-Operative Lancashire FA Trophy first round last night (Tuesday), open their FA Trophy campaign in the preliminary round on Saturday with a short trip to Dark Lane to meet Rossendale United, another one of Steve Waywell’s old clubs.

After an opening-round knockout at Warrington (the sides drew 0-0 at Victory Park first) last season, Chorley have their eyes on a cash bonus of £2,000, with £2,300 up for grabs in the first qualifying round away to Boston United on October 17.

Barring a home replay on Tuesday, the Magpies have an away league game against Garforth Town on that night.