Bucks facing tricky Cup trip
AFC Telford United's management duo have returned from a spying mission on FA Cup opponents Matlock with the warning: "We've got our work cut out." AFC Telford United's management duo have returned from a spying mission on FA Cup opponents Matlock with the warning: "We've got our work cut out." Rob Smith and Larry Chambers took in the Derbyshire side's 0-0 draw at Frickley last night, and saw enough to convince them that they will be in for a battle in Saturday's second qualifying round clash. The Bucks, as the higher side in the non-League pyramid, will start as favourites - but Chambers knows only too well how tough a place Matlock is to visit. Telford were beaten there on their way to promotion last season. Read the full story in today's Shropshire Star
Rob Smith" class="imageframe alignright" height="131" src="http://www.shropshirestar.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/bucks-smith-chambers.jpg" width="175"/>AFC Telford United's management duo have returned from a spying mission on FA Cup opponents Matlock with the warning: "We've got our work cut out."
Rob Smith and Larry Chambers took in the Derbyshire side's 0-0 draw at Frickley last night, and saw enough to convince them that they will be in for a battle in Saturday's second qualifying round clash.
The Bucks, as the higher side in the non-League pyramid, will start as favourites - but Chambers knows only too well how tough a place Matlock is to visit.
Telford were beaten there on their way to promotion last season. And even though the Gladiators have since lost star assets Ian Holmes and Tom Cahill to Football League clubs, they have started well this time around.
"We'd already had a report done and we definitely learned something about them by going to the game," said Chambers.
"All I'll say is that the personnel is very similar to last year.
"They've lost Holmes, who's gone to Mansfield, and Cahill, who's gone to Rotherham, but the rest are exactly the same and they're a good side.
"They're dangerous going forward and we will have our work cut out."
Smith and Chambers will resist the temptation to tinker with their preparations for the game, preferring to stick by tried and trusted methods.
They are eager to improve on their dire record in cup competitions. The pair have lost just six out of 66 league games since taking over in February last season but are yet to win a single knockout game.
"We'll not be doing anything different," added Chambers. "We're quite superstitious and we try to follow the same format whoever we're playing and whatever competition we're in.
"That might change if we got through a few rounds.
"All we want to do is be in the hat for the next round on Monday morning. Everyone knows our cup record hasn't been great and we're keen to change that."