It was an incredible night at Church Street and one that the majority of the 2000 plus crowd will never forget. Chasetown, five leagues lower than their Football League Division One visitors Port Vale, did the impossible and now look forward to welcoming the likes of Jimmy Floyd Hasslebank, Trevor Sinclair and Robbie Fowler.

And how they deserved that shot at Cardiff City. For 179 minutes they were on level terms with the full time professionals of Vale. At Vale Park it was Chasetown who battled back to bring the Valiant’s back to a replay and it was Chasetown who probably will been seen as more worthy recipients of that nickname as they stunned the footballing world on a night of unbelievable drama.

There was however, little to indicate was to unfold as the first half was a cagey affair. The minnows taking the game to Vale as they tried to make early advantage of the magnificent home support that had congregated around three sides of the Scholars ground.

Vale locked particularly dangerous from set pieces with Luke Rogers bringing out a save from Lee Evans who tipped the former Crewe strikers free kick over the crossbar. With Ben Steane covering every inch in midfield, his cross field pass set up a chance for Mark Branch, but the hero of the first game for the Scholars lifted the ball over the target.

Chasetown were working hard to close down their visitors and the personal battle between Vaughan Thomas and Callum Willock from the away tie continued at Church Street with the defender just edging out the pacy striker on several occasions.

The half time whistle brought great cheers from the Blue Army as they saw their heroes leave the pitch still on level terms with the favourites and still in with a chance.

That optimism was severely tested in the opening ten minutes of the second half as Vale were awarded two generous chances to open the scoring from the penalty spot. Just sixty seconds was on the second half watch as Rogers went down under an innocuous challenge from Joe Williams and referee Mr Taylor brought fear to the watching masses by pointing quickly to the spot.

Picking up the ball Rogers opted to take the kick and to the huge relief of the Chasetown contingent fired against the crossbar with Evans managing the faintest of touches. Five minutes later and the crowd were left groaning in astonishment as Rogers was again left on the floor in the area after Thomas and Slater had tried to block the striker’s path.

This one looked even softer than the original decision, but once again the finger was pointed at the spot and hearts were again in mouths.
Rogers gamely stepped up to try again but this time Evans had psyched out the Vale number 10 and as he fired to the keeper’s right, Evans was down quickly to send the crowd wild.

That gave Chasetown the adrenalin boost that were to need as Vale pushed forward in search of a face saving goal, but the minnows were determined to resist the waves of pressure that Vale threw at them.

Manager Charlie Blakemore brought on Sam Smith for the tiring Nick Hawkins on 72 minutes and five minutes later Danny Smith replaced Dean Perrow. That was to prove a decisive moment as with the clock ticking down and both sides edging to a stamina sapping extra thirty minutes, the dream became reality.

A free kick on the right of the field enable Chasetown to push men up front for the final minute and when Mark Branch slipped the ball outside to Kyle Perry, the big striker whipped in a telling cross and flying in was Danny Smith to power a diving header that brought the stadium down.

It was a goal his hero Robbie Fowler would have been proud to call his own and the delight was tangible throughout the whole ground.

Even four minutes of injury time, in which Port Vale forced a series of corners that had all eleven men including keeper Joe Anyon searching desperately for a redeeming goal, could not deny Chasetown their moment of history and at the final whistle these players who have become legends in this small corner of Staffordshire, where hoisted high on the shoulders of an ecstatic Church Street crowd.

Now for the Bluebirds!

Chasetown: Evans, J Branch, M Branch, Slater, Thomas, Williams, Steane, Hawkins (S Smith 73), Perry, Perrow (D Smith 78), Holland

Other Subs: Edwards, Spacey, Sargeant (not used)