Lancaster City will start what they hope to be a successful cup run on Saturday afternoon (September 3) against Stalybridge Celtic.
The two teams will face off in the first qualifying round of the Emirates FA Cup, a competition which, if you progress to later rounds, can bring in healthy and hugely significant sums of money for non-league clubs.
Staybridge Celtic are in the same league as the Dollies, the Northern Premier League Premier Division, and beat City 1-0 on August 20. Mark Fell’s side will be hoping for a different winner this weekend at Bower Fold.
Lancaster City only progressed as far as the second qualifying round last season, their FA Cup run for the campaign ending after a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Morpeth Town.
Mark Fell spoke to the club website on Saturday about how a good cup run this year would be “huge for the football club”, adding “we’ll go there (Stalybridge) with confidence – we do not look like conceding.”
The Dollies haven’t conceded in their last three league games, but have had a frustrating time in front of goal recently, having only scored twice in those three matches – both of them coming against Gainsborough Trinity in a 2-0 win.
Stalybridge Celtic vs Lancaster City starts at Bower Fold at 3pm on Saturday.