First round place is reward for winner of clubs' maiden meeting

Source: Northwich Guardian

11:12am Friday 23rd October 2009

Northwich Victoria v FC United of Manchester (Kick off 3pm)
FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round
Venue Victoria Stadium
Admission Adults £14 (£12 stand), Concessions £12 (£10 stand), U16s £5, U12s £2
Prize Money £12,500
Odds (Blue Square) Vics 4/7, Draw 13/5, FC United 4/1
Previous Meeting n/a

Vics (from) Aspden (GK), Spencer (GK), Aspin, Kerr, Bailey, Grand, Ryan Brown, Horrocks, Elam, D’Laryea, Herring, Connor, Vaughan, Winter, Taylforth, Riley, Allan, Danks, Edwards, Newby
Doubtful Edwards (ankle)
Injured Junior Brown (broken ankle), Meadowcroft (fractured leg)
Suspended none
Top scorer Mark Danks (14)
Route to this round 3QR bt Chorley (h) 4-1; 2QR bt Bardon Hill Sports (h) 8-0
Last season in FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round
Form (Home) P6 W4 D1 L1 F11 A7 Pts13
Form (Overall) P13 W7 D3 L3 F21 A17 Pts14

FCUM (from) Ashton (GK), Shenton (GK), Stott, Chadwick, Morris, Nugent, Garner, Tong, Warrender, Adam Carden, Cottrell, Ibrahim, Moses, Quistin, Roca, Wright, Deegan, Mack, Marsh, Williams, Yoffe
Doubtful Chadwick (calf)
Injured none
Suspended none
Cup tied Neville
Top scorer Phil Marsh, Carlos Roca (both six)
Route to this round 3QR bt Stalybridge Celtic (a) 1-0 in replay; 2QR North Ferriby United (a) 1-0; 1QR bt Sheffield (a) 3-1
Last season in FA Cup First Qualifying Round
Form (Away) P5 W1 D3 L3 F6 A9 Pts4
Form (Overall) P12 W5 D2 L5 F22 A17 Pts17

Match Pointers
NORTHWICH Victoria take on UniBond Premier Division promotion hopefuls FC United of Manchester for a place in the first round proper.

It is the first meeting between the two clubs.

Andy Preece’s men, unbeaten in their past seven league and cup encounters, start as favourites against a team that did dump out Blue Square North opposition in the previous round.

The Vics boss gave a clue as to his starting line-up for tomorrow’s game when he rested every player that started at Ilkeston Town last weekend during the Mid-Cheshire FA Senior Cup win over neighbours Middlewich Town in midweek.

Declan Edwards (ankle) limped off in that game is a doubt to face the Rebels.

Long-term absentees Junior Brown (ankle) and Danny Meadowcroft (leg) are absent once more, but everybody else is available for the hosts.

Vics have scored 12 goals in their two FA Cup ties to date, Mark Danks claiming eight of those, in victories over Bardon Hill Sports and Chorley.

Opponents FC United of Manchester are also enjoying their best run of form this season, last weekend’s FA Trophy success at Ashton United extending their unbeaten stretch to six matches.

Skipper Dave Chadwick (calf) is their only fitness worry, but he is expected to pass a late fitness test to face Vics.

Midfielder Dave Neville is cup-tied after appearing for Vics’ neighbours Witton Albion in this season’s preliminary round.

Newcomer Joseph Yoffe is available though.

FC United’s victory over Steve Burr’s Stalybridge Celtic after a replay in the previous round proves they can beat higher-ranked opposition.

Phil Marsh and Carlos Roca, both former Northwich players, are the Bury-based outfit’s leading scorers this season. Ben Deegan and Jerome Wright, who scored the winner against Bridge, have five goals each.

FC United have played at the Victoria Stadium before, drawing 2-2 with Winsford United back in August 2005 on their inaugural season in the North West Counties League’s Division Two. They beat Ashton Town 4-0 there the following week.