FC’s first FA Cup adventure

FC UNITED go into their first ever FA Cup game this Sunday, September 2, on the back of two wins in three days.

The reds finally put some league points on the board with a 6-0 drubbing of Bridlington Town on Saturday. And after a hard fought 2-1 victory at Rossendale on Bank Holiday Monday they climbed to ninth in the UniBond First Division North table.

FC will be without striker Rory Patterson when they play Trafford at Altrincham, as he serves a suspension. But manager Karl Marginson is still confident his side can progress to play Fleetwood Town in the second preliminary round.

The players will already get within touching distance of the great cup when it is brought to first team training at Salford Sports Village – the home of the Manchester FA – tonight, Thursday, August 30.

Marginson said: "We know all about Trafford having beaten them twice last season and we also played them in a pre-season friendly. So there’s no excuses for not being prepared.

"We should beat them if we play to our ability and despite missing Rory we should have enough in our locker.

"The FA Cup is the biggest cup competition in the world so the players will be up for it.

"It’s a big occasion for the club as this is the first time we’ve appeared in the competition and some fans who gave up their Manchester United season tickets may have feared they’d never enjoy the FA Cup again.

"United have always had a great cup tradition and we are all keen to carry on that tradition, starting on Sunday."

Patterson will serve a three-game ban for being sent off in the friendly against Trafford. But he made sure he signed off in style on Saturday, netting a hat-trick to destroy Bridlington at Gigg Lane in front of 2,263 fans.

His first came after 15 minutes when he controlled and turned to volley into the bottom corner. He notched his second midway through the first half and completed his hat-trick with a well taken drive from just inside the box on the stroke of half-time.

New boy Anthony Hargreaves made it five with a tap-in before Matty Taylor scored his first goal for the club with a penalty late on.

On Bank Holiday Monday, FC travelled to Rossendale and came back with maximum points thanks to a 20-yard Stuart Rudd free kick and a Nicky Platt penalty with five minutes to go.

On the gate admission to the FA Cup game at Altrincham’s Moss Lane ground costs £7 for adults and £4 for concessions.

Published: 30th August 2007

First published by the Prestwich Advertiser