AFC Telford United

For anyone who hasn't read one of these posts before my mission was to pick a team from this years extra preliminary round of the Fa Cup and follow their progress through the rounds, each time the team I follow is knocked out of the competition I follow their conquerors and so it goes on. Hence the name glory hunt.  Eventually by next May I will be supporting the winning team as they are crowned FA Cup winners 2015.

The first team I chose were Morpeth Town, who went out in the the extra pre-lim round  Dunston UTS, Dunston did well and progressed through a couple of rounds before meeting Spennymoor Town.  Spennymoor Town got past Ashton United but finally were beaten by in a replay by AFC Telford United.

So here we are on the eve of the first round proper and my new team AFC Telford are taking on Basingstoke Town from the Conference South, at the Soccer AM stadium.

Telford play at the New Bucks Stadium.

The Bucks manager is Liam Watson.  Watson is a former striker who's playing career took him to such clubs as Warrington, Preston North End, Runcorn and Accrington Stanley.  Liam started in management in 2000 as boss of  Runcorn FC Halton, he also managed Burscough and had two spells at Southport before taking over at the new Bucks stadium in 2013.

Bucks Manager Liam Watson.

Bucks captain is Steve Akrigg, a former Southport, Warrington and Skelmersdale defender 27 year old Akrigg has just returned recently from a 7 month lay off with injury.

Captain Steve Akrigg.

After a tricky game in the last game against Spennymoor Town where the Bucks had forced a replay after coming back from 2-0 by scoring twice in injury time, they went on to win the replay 3-0 with goals from Adam Farrell and midfielder Mike Grogan who scored a brace.

Mike Grogan.

The cup will be a bit of a distraction from the league for Telford and hopefully a nice one, as at the moment they sit rock bottom of the Conference with only 10 points and having only won 2 games so far this season.

Basingstoke will be tough opponents on Saturday as at the moment they are top of the Conference South and looking in confident mood.  The Bucks will have to be at their very best to beat Jason Bristow's team and give them any chance of repeating their best run in the FA Cup of the 5th round back in 1985 where the narrowley lost to First Division champions elect Everton.

Both teams come into this tie on the back of defeats.  Telford lost last time out to Bristol Rovers and Basingstoke fell to a 2-1 defeat at home to Chelmsford City.

The Bucks will need to be mindful of the attacking threat the Dragons posses in strikers of Chris Flood and Liam Enver-Marum who have scored 17 goals between them.

Chris Flood(centre) congratulated by former Torquay man Lloyd Macklin.

As a Dagenham and Redbridge supporter I have memories of Basingstoke Town and an injury time  equaliser in a 2-2 draw in the FA Cup when our then goalkeeper Tony Roberts came up for a corner and scored in the fourth qualifying round in 2001.  The Daggers won the replay and made the 3rd round were the lost  4-1 to then premier league side Ipswich Town,after taking a one-nil lead.

Tony Roberts became only the second goalkeeper in history to score in the FA Cup, in 2001.

Anyway back to tomorrow and The Bucks will need to work hard to get a result, I think if they could get a draw at the Soccer Am Stadium they will surely have a better chance of winning in the replay at home.  A lot of people will probably see this as a potential upset but I for one will be hoping Telford can defy the odds and get through to the next round.

Come on you Bucks!!!

To find out more about AFC Telford United go to the website.
www.telfordunited.com/