PARDONING the cliché, John Fisher reminded his Highworth Town players that it’s only half-time in his side’s FA Vase semi-final showdown with North Shields.

The Worthians suffered a 1-0 defeat in front of a sell-out crowd at the Elms on Saturday afternoon as they ended the first leg trailing behind their Northern League opponents but manager Fisher remains hopeful that his team can turn things around in the North East next weekend.

The Highworth boss admits that the big game nerves did get to his troops in the opening stages but he was buoyed by a spirited second half performance, which saw the Worthians come agonisingly close to restoring parity.

“I thought we were very poor first half – didn’t get it down, didn’t play," said Fisher.

“It was very disappointing from our point of view – we didn’t have a kick I don’t think – and we got them in at half-time and had a go at them.

“And second half, I felt we should have really got a draw, in fairness.

“It’s not over with. We’re still in it. All I was worried about was us still being in the tie (at the end of the game).

“I said to them at half-time: ‘I can’t legislate for nerves. I can’t do nothing for you and I think five or six of you have got to get it out your system. I can’t get it out of your system, you’ve got it do it yourself’.

“And I thought we seemed a lot better on the ball in the second half and a lot more comfortable, and I thought we played the better football.

“So it’s only half-time.“

The first real chance of the game fell the way of the visitors, who undid the Highworth back line with a quick free-kick and saw Dean Walker have a shot cleared off the line before Adam Forster’s effort on the turn was superbly kept out by goalie Gary Stevens’ reaction save.

Walker fired another effort wide as the Robins enjoyed the better of the early exchanges whilst Holmes scuffed wide of the target from the edge of the area.

The encounter soon became nip and tuck as the two teams largely cancelled each other out, with the hosts not threatening until past the half-hour mark when TJ Bohane headed into the arms of North Shields keeper Michael Robinson from a Callum Parsons set-piece.

Fisher’s men then began to get to grips with the occasion and forward Parsons wasn’t far away from lighting up the tie late in the half when he wriggled free and unleashed a scorching attempt that whistled not far over the crossbar.

With the big game nerves seemingly alleviated, the Worthians looked refreshed after an extended half-time break, which dragged on due to an injury sustained by a supporter when he fell over and a scuffle in the clubhouse bar.

Jon Davoile’s lofted pass allowed Parsons a shot on goal and he fired under the legs of Robinson and saw his attempt blocked on the line, before substitute Dan Drewett garnered the same result with his follow-up.

But the next big chance of the game fell to the visiting Robins and they struck the decisive blow as Ryan Carr’s low cross allowed Walker to back-heel an effort goalwards.

Highworth’s Stevens made the save with his legs but he was powerless to prevent Holmes tapping home from the rebound and whipping the away fans behind the goal into a frenzy.

Fisher’s men were far from finished though and their best chance to level the tie came when Bohane won the ball back and set Ryan King racing into the box.

The midfielder cut the ball back for Parsons and his goalbound drive was knocked away by full-back Stuart Donnison’s outstanding acrobatic block.

With a deficit to overturn next Saturday, the Highworth boss is in no doubt what the gameplan must be when his side travel to North Shields.

Fisher said: “We just got to go straight from the whistle, haven’t we? We’ve just got to attack. We haven’t got any chance, have we? There’s no point sitting back.

“And hopefully we’ll score an early goal to shut their supporters up because, let’s be fair, they’re quite a noisy lot, aren’t they?

“If we can get one early on, we’ll try and keep them quiet. But I don’t think we’ll be able to keep them quiet.”

The Elms chief also provided a warning for the Robins fans celebrating on the pitch after Saturday’s game, chanting that their team were on their way to Wembley.

“We’ve had it before when we played Tunbridge Wells and Tadcaster but we’ve not played away yet and they’ve not seen my boys, have they?” said Fisher

“They’ve not seen us play away from home. That’s a different kettle of fish.”