NICK Haughton may have grabbed the headlines with his hat-trick as Chorley booked their place in the FA Cup first round, but boss Matt Jansen was quick to praise the whole team after the Magpies made history.
Chorley will host League One Fleetwood Town in the first round after a pulsating final qualifying round replay win at Boston United after extra-time.
Fleetwood loanee Haughton scored a hat-trick, including a 111th minute winner to send Chorley through, moments after Matty Hughes was sent off.
Jansen’s side twice came from behind to level at 2-2, but Boston sent the game to extra-time with an equaliser of their own late on as it ended 3-3, before Haughton struck again as Chorley reached the first round for the first time in 27 years.
And Jansen said: “I’m elated with every one of them, they all played their part and it has been fantastic.
“It is typical FA Cup, what a game it was.
“The game had everything, to win the game with 10 men typifies everything about the character of the dressing room and how strong we have been the last couple of months.
“I’m so proud of every one of them, never say die, away from home, they deserve everything they have got.
“It was a massive team performance, Nick Haughton will get singled out again but we allow him to play, he was a thorn in their side, has great feet but the energy from the rest of the lads gave him a licence to get on the ball and it was a massive team performance.
“He is a fantastic footballer and is doing it for us and we’re giving him a licence to do it but you can’t do that on your own, you need the workrate and unselfish running of the rest of the team.
“The guts, courage, determination and desire from the whole team typifies how we have been of late and hopefully that will continue.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here