The FA Cup sponsored by E.ON
Third Qualifying Round
Saturday 14 October 2006
Winning clubs will receive £5,000

Woodley Sports would love the chance of causing a massive FA Cup shock against Gainsborough this weekend - but will instead have to do it the hard way.

Woodley have recently installed a new £3.5m artificial pitch in order to increase the number of teams they can run and eliminate virtually all postponements over the winter.

However, FA Cup competition rules state that matches can only be played on natural grass surfaces, so Woodley will instead take their fight to Gainsborough, despite being drawn at home for this Third Qualifying Round encounter.

Manager Ally Pickering, who once played in the Premiership with Coventry City, said: "It is disappointing that we can't play at home in the competition, but they are the rules so we have to get on with it.

"This is the biggest game in the club's history and there is a real buzz around the place with loads of people ringing us up and asking where the match is being played.

"We are undoubtedly the underdogs against Gainsborough because they are two leagues above us, but we are a young side with lots of enthusiasm and we are going there to win.

"Even getting through to the next round would be a massive thing for us, because compared to us there will be some really big teams coming into the draw.

"The FA Cup has already been fantastic for us this season, especially beating a Conference North team like Leigh RMI in the last round."

And Pickering says he will instruct his side to try to beat Gainsborough in style after picking up invaluable coaching tips from legends such as Ron Atkinson and Gordon Strachan while he was at Coventry.

"I like my teams to get the ball down and play, because that's what football should be about," he added.

"I learnt a lot from my previous managers. Big Ron was so enthusiastic and always let people know how good they are and how good they could be if they worked hard.

"Gordon Strachan was more of a disciplinarian, but that was useful because I make sure now my players don't pull the wool over my eyes and try to get away with things."

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