Market Drayton Town have been warned to expect a testing FA Trophy replay when they head to Bamber Bridge tonight, writes JAMES GARRISON.

The managerless UniBond League division one south side suffered a double blow last week with the shock departure of boss Simon Line to Hednesford followed up by a 4-0 defeat at Rushall Olympic on Saturday.

A testing trip to Lancashire is on the agenda tonight as Drayton face a Bamber Bridge team who play in the north division at the equivalent level.

But it’s a big night with £2,000 on offer for the winners.

“I think it will be difficult,” said interim manager Mick Murphy.

“They have had some good results on their own pitch. They don’t concede many and don’t score many either but they are a very solid looking team and a good, hard-working side.”

Murphy is confident there will be no hangover from Saturday’s defeat tonight.

“It was disappointing but individual mistakes cost us and we don’t usually make those,” he added.

“But we are still only four points off the top with four games in hand and I think everyone would have taken 19 points from nine games at the start of the season.

“The aim at the start was to stop in the division. We will need somewhere between 35 and 40 points to do that so we are halfway there already.”

Matthew Biddle is unavailable for Drayton this evening.

Meanwhile, Murphy has urged club officials to make a swift appointment as the race to succeed Line continues.

“For me, the sooner the club gets someone in the better for stability,” said Murphy, who has ruled himself out of the running for the position as manager.

l Drayton could lose their second central defender in the space of a week.

Grant Goodhead has already moved to link up with Line at Hednesford, while Paul McMullen has been the subject of a seven-day approach from Stafford Rangers.