By Arandeep Singh Dhillon & Tom Paterson
Trafford boss Garry Vaughan says his players are still suffering after the club’s FA Cup exit last week as they prepare to face Wakefield in an FA Trophy first-round qualifier tomorrow.
Vaughan’s men lost 4-2 away to Corby Town last Saturday to dash their hopes of a clash with one of the country’s top sides.
The manager said his team had travelled 800 miles to Stourbridge and Corby to study their set pieces – which they ultimately conceded from.
“The players are absolutely devastated I’m not going to lie,” he said.
“We conceded after 48 minutes, that time is becoming a bit of a hoodoo for us now but credit to the lads.
“(For tomorrow) everyone is fit, thank god. We will give some new lads a run out to break it up.”
Ashton United are also in cup action this weekend as they take on Sheffield FC at Hurst Cross in the first qualifying round.
Manager Steve Halford is looking forward to the match and knows his side must address their defensive problems after conceding 10 goals in the last 3 games.
“I might play 10 at the back! Our back four has been put together a bit of late, we have to make do with what we have got,” he said.
Ashton have taken the lead but failed to hold on for a result in their last four games.
“We might be in a false position, the next few games will show but we definitely need to strengthen,” he added.
In the other cup games, Curzon and FC United face away ties against Cammell Laird and Witton Albion respectively while Droylsden take on Nantwich Town and Mossley face Lancaster City on home turf.
In the Skrill Premier Scott McNiven’s Hyde are away at Dartford on Saturday and he knows that a defeat would make it nine league losses in a row for the Tigers.
Following their 4-1 defeat to Luton, McNiven said that it will be a tough task to get off the foot of the table.
“When you’re at the bottom nothing seems to go for you but only we can turn it round.
“We know it’s going to be a sort of mission impossible to climb up the league and the longer we go without a win the harder it’s going to be to and that’s the state of affairs really.”
In the Conference North, Stockport County take on Gloucester City at Edgeley Park where they will be looking to put their FA Cup exit firmly behind them.
The narrow 1-0 defeat to lowly Rushall Olympic ended their three game winning streak and dumped them out of the cup after they put in a lacklustre performance.
Alan Lord said after the game that County would be ‘working hard this week’ to put things right.
“People think I’m a quiet person but I’m quite fiery and I’m burning up inside. It’s the FA Cup and we went out without a fight, that’s the bottom line,” he said.
At the top of the table fourth take on third as Altrincham play Brackley Town at Moss Lane after a two-week break.
In their last game Alty thrashed Guiseley 4-1 and victory over Brackley would give Lee Sinnott’s men their third straight home win and the chance to be top if other results go their way.
Salford City take on Warrington Town at Moor Lane in one of the five Evo-Stik North first division encounters tomorrow.
Image courtesy of Iain Lees, with thanks.
For more on this story and many others, follow Mancunian Matters on Twitter and Facebook.
