27 January ~ On September 17, 2005, County Durham side Shildon drew 1-1 at home to Alnwick Town in the FA Vase. Five years, and 18 games later, they haven't played a Vase game at home since. There's nothing wrong with their ground, it's their luck that's the problem. Since that tie against Alnwick, Shildon have been drawn away 17 times in a row. Though, of course, the odds on being drawn away are one in two, the odds on a sequence of 17 away draws are one in 131,072. Shildon aren't quite one in a million, but, with three more away draws, they would be (or 1 in 1,048,576, to be precise). Has any team had a worse run of fortune?

Despite that, Shildon, who play in the skilltrainingltd Northern League, haven't done badly. In the past four seasons, in which they've entered the Vase in the second qualifying round, they've won at least two ties. This season, after five successful away matches, they're in the last 16 – away at St Ives, in Cambridgeshire, on February 6. The club are hopeful – quietly hopeful – of reaching Wembley for the first time. The team's Vase form is certainly improving. After narrow wins over Easington Colliery (1-0) and Leeds Carnegie (3-2) in the first two rounds this year, they've beaten Congleton, Crook and Stotfold comfortably enough.

Their list of opponents since 2005 hints at the Vase's appeal. The 17-game sequence started at Tow Law, a short drive from Shildon. Stotfold, where they've just played, was a 420-mile round trip to Hertfordshire. In between they've played at places like Thackley, Nantwich and Frickley (where the college team Leeds Carnegie play), places you'd be unlikely to visit without football. Every away draw is bemoaned as the games are harder to win. (Travel costs can be covered by gate receipts). But – as Shildon's 200-plus supporters at Stotfold proved – every game is an adventure and a chance to put a face, and a place, to a name. Still, if St Ives are overcome, a home quarter-final would be nice. Owen Amos

Shildon's FA Vase record from 2005 onwards:

2005-2006
2QR: Shildon 1 - 1 Alnwick Town
2QR replay: Alnwick Town 5 - 2 Shildon

2006-2007
2QR: Tow Law 3 - 5 Shildon
1R: Sunderland Nissan 3 - 4 Shildon
2R: Nantwich 3 - 4 Shildon
3R: Retford 4 - 3 Shildon

2007-2008
2QR: West Allotment Celtic 2 - 5 Shildon
1R: Washington 0 - 3 Shildon
2R: Salford 5 - 1 Shildon

2008-2009
2QR: Yorkshire Amateur 0 - 7 Shildon
1R: Crook 2 - 4 Shildon
2R: Thackley 0 - 1 Shildon
3R: Spennymoor 3 - 2 Shildon

2009-10
2QR: Easington 0 - 1 Shildon
1R: Leeds Carnegie 2 - 3 Shildon
2R: Congleton 0 - 2 Shildon
3R: Crook 2 - 4 Shildon
4R: Stotfold 0 - 2 Shildon 

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