CHORLEY face their biggest UniBond League test since losing their Premier Division status four years ago when they entertain Gateshead at Victory Park tonight (7.45) in the play-offs semi-final.

The controversy over the venue for the match was finally ended last night when Gateshead agreed to withdraw their appeal to the FA against the UniBond League's decision that the Tynesiders could not stage the game at their temporary home at South Shields and must surrender their home advantage to which, as the Premier Division club, they were entitled in play-offs matches.

The Magpies are determined to make the most of this good fortune and progress to the final in which they would play either Radcliffe Borough or North Ferriby United on Saturday.

But manager Mark Molyneaux is keeping his own and his players' feet firmly on the ground ahead of tonight's match.

"It's just another hurdle for us and I'm not making any rash promises, except to say that we'll be doing our utmost as usual to win the game," said the Victory Park boss.

"Gateshead may have had a poor run of results but we must all remember they are a Premier Division side perfectly capable of beating us.

"If we could win, it would be a great result for Chorley and, provided that we perform to our capabilities, we can certainly do the job"

Chorley's excellent form at Victory Park gives them every chance and entitles them to Gateshead's respect.

The Magpies won 13 and drew four of their 21 home UniBond First Division fixtures during the season and, in the eight home and away matches against the four teams who finished above them, they won four, drew three and lost just one to champions Alfreton.

Molyneaux believes that the club is in its strongest position for many years.

"We've a great bunch of players at Chorley now who are all very proud of the shirt they are wearing," he said.

"And the strength-in-depth of the squad means that no player, however long he has been at the club, comes to the ground on matchdays feeling certain of a place in the starting line-up.

"It keeps everyone on his toes."

The manager was particularly delighted with the players' reaction to last Saturday's emotional must-win encounter at Stocksbridge.

"We broke the sad news of the chairman's death before setting out but all the lads were totally professional and just went out and did the job they had to do.

"It was a fantastic effort and the scenes at the end, with the players and all our fans hugging each other, were marvellous.

"It was like they hadn't seen each other for 50 years!"

Tonight's game recalls an epic meeting between the teams at Victory Park in the FA Trophy six years ago when the Magpies humbled Gateshead, then a Conference side, 3-1 in a thrilling quarter-final tie.

Now Gateshead come to Victory Park after a traumatic season which has seen them fighting for financial survival and sliding into the bottom three to leave them staring relegation from the UniBond Premier in the face.

They did, however, reach the final of the UniBond League Challenge Cup only to lose out to Marine 3-0 on aggregate over the two legs.

After losing 2-0 in the second leg at Marine on Thursday, they went down by the same score at Barrow on Saturday and tonight's trip to Chorley will be their third trek to the the North West in six days.

Chorley and their fans will be hoping that the home strikers, who have netted over 100 league and cup goals this season, have a few left in the locker to overcome opponents for whom goals have been in short supply.