‘IT’S QUITE NICE BEING AN UNDERDOG, BUT IT IS A WINNABLE TIE FOR US’
HANLEY Town manager Micky Morton should be preparing for a league game against Irlam tomorrow - but he has a bigger challenge to worry about.
That’s no disrespect to Irlam. However, while the North West Counties League Premier Division kicks off this weekend - delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic - Morton and his players have other things on their mind.
Instead of the bread and butter of the league, Hanley will be continuing their journey in uncharted waters with another FA Cup tie.
A trip to Ilkeston Town in the second qualifying round is on the agenda for Morton and Co as they look to extend their fairytale run in the competition.
Hanley Town have never been this far in the FA Cup - and they are not intending to let their winning sequence come to an end in Derbyshire tomorrow.
They have already battled through three rounds - defeating Lye Town, Gresley and Redditch United - to set up this weekend’s clash against Ilkeston.
“It is the biggest game in the club’s history,” said Morton. “It’s good considering where we were last year and shows how far we’ve come in a short space of time.
“In pre-season we lost to Uttoxeter Town, then drew with Newcastle and beat Nantwich 4-2. It’s been like a snowball effect.
“I think we’ve been deserved winners of all three ties. In the last round, Redditch were down to 10 men, but that can turn the tables.
“If we had lost to Lye Town in the extra preliminary round at the start of September, we would have had a month without competitive football, so the cup has been a blessing.”
Hanley will have to hit a new level to make it four wins in a row in the world’s most famous club cup competition.
Ilkeston ply their trade in the Northern Premier League South East Division - the same as Leek Town - and have made an impressive start to the season.
They won at Cleethorpes and drew at home with Stamford on Tuesday night, two of the top three from the last campaign.
It’s a challenge which doesn’t faze Morton.
“Ilkeston have been a big club in the past, but it’s a winnable game for us,” he added. “It’s actually quite nice being an underdog.
“We had them watched against Stamford in midweek and they are
beatable. I’ve spoken to Scott Dundas (Kidsgrove boss) and Neil Baker (Leek manager) and they’ve said they are a decent team.
“We know it’s a tie we can win. We can beat anyone on our day.”
It’s not just Hanley’s run in the FA Cup which has seen them grab the headlines this season.
Their signing of former Stoke City striker Ricardo Fuller captured the imagination - and he’s already made a big impact at Potteries Park.
He emerged from the substitutes’ bench in the last round against Redditch United to score an 85thminute penalty to secure a 3-2 victory.
“I didn’t see the penalty until the next day on Twitter because I was hiding in the dug out at the time!” explained Morton.
“But I couldn’t think of a better person to take that spot-kick than Ric.
“He’s been brilliant for us. I played in non-league and you see players who have come down from higher divisions and they play on it.
“Ric doesn’t do that at all. He’s come in and he’s part of the team. He’s put on training sessions for the attackers and just loves football. I can’t speak highly enough about him.
“Ric makes things happen and you can see the opposition try even harder when he comes on.”
Fuller is part of the squad for tomorrow’s FA Cup clash, but could have to content himself with a place on the bench.
“The lads on the bench are dying to play and we’ve had a few friendlies inbetween the cup games to give them minutes,” said Morton.
“The lads know it is a squad game and you can’t really change a winning side. When we start the league, the games are going to come thick and fast, so we’re going to need everyone.
“We’ve got a good balance in the squad now, although we’re not the finished article by any means. We’ve also got a never-say-die attitude and we battle to the end.”
NANTWICH Town boss Dave Cooke is looking forward to Saturday’s FA Cup tie at home to Barwell to continue a busy spell for his club.
The Dabbers reached the second qualifying round with a 4-2 win at Tividale last Tuesday then followed that up with an impressive home league wins against Stalybridge Celtic and Buxton.
Cooke said: “If you get a home draw, and have stayed away from the Conference North teams, then it could have been a lot worse on paper. But it will be a tough game, we just have to hopefully do the business and get through.”
He felt his side’s passage into the second qualifying round was less comfortable than in should have been after they raced into a 4-0 lead after 63 minutes at Midland League side Tividale thanks to two goals apiece from Joe Malkin and Callum Saunders.
The manager added: “We should be beating teams like that convincingly and we were 4-0 up and cruising. We made a couple of substitutions, only to give lads minutes because it is early on in the season, and then we switched off.
“That was one of the things we said in the dressing room. It doesn’t matter who you are playing, if you switch off, any team will score a goal against you. We nearly made hard work of it. They had a chance at the end and, had it gone to 4-3, it would have been backs to the wall.
“Saturday’s game against Barwell will be a bit different because they are at a similar level to us.”
THE JOURNEY CONTINUES: Micky Morton takes his Hanley Town side to Ilkeston this weekend - their fourth FA Cup tie of the season so far.
STAFFORD Rangers are also in FA Cup action as they make the trip to Northern Premier League top-flight rivals Buxton.
Stafford won 3-2 at Worcester City in the previous round.
The winners of tomorrow’s ties will receive £3,375 in prize money, with the losers banking £1,125.