TAKING TO THE CUP LIKE DUCKS TO WATER

SHAW LANE’S FA Cup first round debut will be screened live on the box – and captain Ryan Qualter says it’s all about putting the Yorkshire club on the map when Mansfield come to town.

The Ducks, who won their Step 4 title last season, had never won a game in the competition before this season but have beaten Blyth Spartans and Step 1 Barrow to get in the mix with the big boys.

The BT Sport cameras will broadcast their game with Steve Evans’ Stags next Saturday and the EVO-STIK Premier side fancy causing another upset.

“They’re obviously a few leagues higher but, like Barrow, when the draw came out we all felt it’s doable, especially at home,” Qualter said. “They’re mid-table in League Two but we’ve got a few lads who have had good FA Cup runs in the past and have beaten League Two and even League One clubs.

“So we’ll go into it full of confidence and give it our best. We won’t just be there to make up the numbers.

“Hopefully beating Barrow really put the club on the map. A lot of people from around the area came and got their first taste of Shaw Lane. Hopefully they keep coming back.”

The 25-year-old joined Craig Elliott’s Shaw Lane last summer from Bradford PA.

And he’s pleased to finally end his FA Cup hoodoo.

“When it’s come to FA Cup runs I’ve had none,” he added. “I was at Bradford Park Avenue for a few years and we used to come in a round later. We always used to get a horrible tie – I remember we played Kidderminster one year when they were flying.

“So it’s been nice to go on a run in the FA Cup for once. By our own standards we should have done better last year, but we drew Colwyn Bay which was a tough. We weren’t at it and deservedly got beat. That was the first time the club had been in the FA Cup.

“We’ve had quite a tough run this year. Even in the first game against Radcliffe we went down to ten men, so we made it difficult for ourselves.

“Then we got Blyth Spartans, who are doing really well in the National League North. That absolutely footballed us to death, they’re a great side, but we kept our shape, scored early and the crowd got on their backs a bit.

“But I was really impressed by Blyth and that gave us the confidence going into Barrow.”