Long Eaton stand in way of extending our cup run
We’ve required home replays to overcome Evesham United and then Westfields but now finally, we’ve been handed a home draw in the first qualifying round of the FA Cup and will be looking to take full advantage as Long Eaton United come to town.
For our NPL Midland league opponents, it’s a relatively short trip along the A50 and they, like us, will be seeing this as an opportunity to make further progress in the world’s premier national cup competition.
It’s fair to say that the FA Cup has offered our opponents tomorrow some welcome respite after a slow start to the season. Their win over bottom of the table Hinckley last week was their first in the league and they succumbed to a 2-1 home defeat against Stafford Rangers last Saturday in the FA Trophy.
We lost our unbeaten start to the season in a very unfortunate home defeat to Nantwich on Bank Holiday, Monday, so if there’s any fortune to be had perhaps Lady Luck will deliver on Saturday. The club coffers would certainly not be complaining.
But while we won’t be relying on luck to keep our cup run going, we will need to be a lot more clinical in front of goal, as that was what cost us our unbeaten start to the season. Nantwich could have had few complaints if they had fallen 2-0 down in the opening ten minutes on Monday but it wasn’t to be. As our profligacy kept them in the game, so their confidence grew.
Our extremely experienced manager Neil Baker, who celebrated a landmark birthday during the week, knows only too well that we will need to be on our game from the off come 3pm on Saturday.
“I’m expecting another tight game against an opponent, which plays at the same level as us. It is good to have home advantage for a change and let’s hope that can be decisive. I know the players would love to extend our cup run, as it’s such a morale-booster for everyone at the club.
“I’m in the happy position of being able to report a clean bill of health, so we’re heading into this game with a very positive mindset and are ready for whatever Long Eaton can throw at us. They’ll be up for it – it should be a really good cup tie.”
Should Saturday’s tie finish level, there will be a replay at Long Eaton on Tuesday evening with a 7.45pm kick off at the Derbyshire club’s Grange Park ground.
Come on Castle!