FA CUP 1ST ROUND PREVIEW

We travel to Scunthorpe on saturday for an a FA Cup 1st Round tie, we haven't played at Glanford Park since August 2000 when a Roger Willis goal was cancelled out by a Steve Torpey header in a game which finished 1-1 in our promotion season, David Reeves was sent off for elbowing the aforementioned Torpey during the match.
I must admit I hate the FA Cup yeah yeah semi-final place 1997 I used to enjoy it as a kid but seeing as Town are possibly one of the worst teams ever to compete in it, it's just a pleasure to reach the second round. One day we wll get there since the semi final in 1997 I'll run down how we have fared.

97-98 1st Rnd. 1-0 Northwich Victoria
97-98 2nd Rnd. Grimsby Town 2-2
97-98 2nd Rnd Replay. Grimsby Town 0-2

98-99 1st Rnd. Wycombe Wanderers 0-1

99-2000 1st Rnd. Enfield 1-2

00-01 1st Rnd. Bristol City 0-1

01-02 1st Rnd Stalybridge Celtic 3-0
01-02 2nd Rnd Southend United 1-1
01-02 2nd Rnd Replay Southend United 0-2

02-03 1st Rnd Morecambe 1-2

03-04 1st Rnd Tranmere Rovers 2-3

So two 2nd round appearances in 7 years not very good really considering we have been a league 2 side for only one of those years.

The last time we played Scunthorpe in the FA Cup was again a 1st Round tie and it was in November 1976 and we beat them 2-1 at the Old Show Ground, goalscorers that day were Billy McEwan and Alan Jones.

Team News is that Sammy Clingan is cup tied and it's more than likely that Gareth Davies will come into the team alongside Derek Niven. Mark Hudson is expected to be in the squad but I would have thought that he will have to do with a place on the bench. Mark Debolla is still injured and will miss the game although he'll probably appear on the right wing after saying that a la Rushden last season. Up front we have supersub Caleb Folan itching to start but I would go with The Chief and N'toya with Stallard looking at everyone else running about for a bit.

Alan O'Hare will be on the bench as the only defensive cover as Aaron Downes is in South America with Australian U21's.

Travel Details visit www.footballgroundguide.co.uk

Come on you Blues.


SAUL