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

Skelmersdale United take on high-flying Droylsden in the Third Qualifying Round on Saturday and manager Tommy Lawton is tipping his side to cause an upset.

The Northern Premier League Division One side are TheFA.com's latest team to follow on the road to glory this season after they beat Marske United last time out.

And fresh from their midweek success over Belper Town in The FA Trophy, Lawton wants his side to go into the game fearless.

"This is a smashing game to be playing in because Droylsden are a great team and it is good experience for my lads to be testing themselves against one of the best teams in non-League," he said.

"They are a tremendous side and the one that most people were tipping to win their division before the season started. They have got off to a flying start and this will be a real test for us.

"Obviously if they do not take us seriously, then they will be in for a shock because we have got nothing to lose from this game. We are not expected to beat them and have no pressure on us.

#"Football can be a wacky, wacky game though and has a habit of throwing up strange results."

Skelmersdale have a rich history in Cup competitions having won the FA Amateur Cup (now The FA Vase) in 1971 with a 4-1 win over Dagenham at Wembley having finished runners up four years earlier.

And chairman Frank Hughes wants his side to bring back the glory days of 35 years ago.

He said: "We made it to the First Round Proper of the FA Cup three times in the late Sixties and early Seventies.

"I am only 39 years old, which makes me one of the youngest chairmen in any division.

"I was only young when the club were in their halcyon days and I have had had to listen to people talking about it. I would like some of these memories.

"In a dreamy way I like to hope that we can make it through to the First Round Proper as that would be a real achievement for the club.

"Local teams like Harrogate and Burscough have made it through in recent years. The romance of The Cup has always been about the smaller club doing well. This year is our 125th anniversary and we want to have something to shout about.

"Droylsden are two levels above us in the football pyramid and are top of their league so we are expecting a tough game, but if they take us lightly then they will be in for a surprise."

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