United face replay

By Simon Moss.
Saturday, 06 October 2007.

The FA Carlsberg Trophy Preliminary Round
Saturday 6 October,
Winning clubs receive £1,000
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FC United of Manchester will have to negotiate a home replay with Bradford Park Avenue to book their place in the First Qualifying Round of The FA Trophy, following Saturday's 1-1 draw in the competition.

Manager Karl Marginson was full of praise for his young charges, but believes the tie should have been sealed at the Horsfall Stadium without the need for a replay.

The FC United boss said: "We played well and created plenty of chances. We worked extremely hard to get ourselves in front, and then the referee goes and makes a mistake.

"Our player was fouled in the build up to their goal. Unfortunately these things happen in football and it's hard to swallow but we played really well, I can't fault the team," he continued.

A crowd of 1310 were kept thoroughly entertained by two evenly matched sides, battling for a mouth-watering tie with Sheffield in the next stage of the competition.

With home advantage in the replay, Marginson believes the FC United fans can help to carry his team far in this year's competition.

"Our fans are fantastic no matter what,” he added. “The sacrifices they have made in leaving the biggest club in the world are massive. We want to do everything we can on the pitch to repay them.

"Anyone who was at the match could see we had the upper hand but that means nothing if you cannot put the ball in the back of the net."