PAUL MARSHALL says he is gearing up for the “biggest” game of his managerial career as Tadcaster Albion bid for a berth in the FA Vase semi-final.

The Brewers boss has enjoyed major success in the FA Cup - leading Harrogate Railway to the second round of the competition and a tie against Bristol City in 2002 - but he reckons tomorrow’s last-eight clash at Highworth Town will top that.

“This will be the biggest,” Marshall said. “It is realistic. It is a chance to play at Wembley. The FA Cup is a brilliant competition and I have loved every game in it but this is realistic. We can win it.

“We can never win the FA Cup but we can win the Vase.”

Marshall believes his biggest test will be to keep his players calm and composed - recognising that the game represents a major milestone for most of his squad as well.

He added: “Everyone is going to be thinking about it and trying to get them to sleep will be quite difficult. It’s a big game and some of them have never played in a big game like this.

“It is a massive opportunity for them and it might never happen again. It might never happen again for me. It is a massive occasion. As a manager, you have got to try to remain calm.

“You have got to try to make the right decisions. We have got a strong bench - Danny Gray, Carl Stewart and CalumWard have been on it - and we have got goals aplenty.

“We have to use players correctly. They all want to play and I have got some big calls.”

One of those will be skipper Nick Thompson, who Marshall is expected to bring back into the side. “He is back from injury and he leads by example,” said the Albion chief.

“I want to get him back involved and it might mean altering our system for this particular game.”

On Highworth, he said: “They are a physical, hard-working team that never gives up. They didn’t play their full team last Saturday and they are not in the same situation as us. They are not fighting for the league title.”

York Press:

FLASHBACK: Paul Marshall lifts the FA Cup watched by the Harrogate Railway heroes who reached the second round of the competition in 2002

Marshall will definitely be without left-back Paddy Miller, who is suspended, and he said: “It is a big blow. It’s a key position. You don’t have many players who can play left-back to a good standard and it is a problem for us.

“We have got to overcome it but someone is probably going to have to play out of position.”

Right from the opening game in the competition, Marshall has believed his side were destined for a long run in the Vase and he sees no reason to alter that view now.

“I am still confident,” he insisted.

“I have said it all along. We haven’t been playing the best and we need to show up on Saturday. The players will all be up for it. If you can’t get up for this you might as well go home.”

Marshall continued: “The objective is not to get beat. If we can come away with a draw I would be happy. But we won’t be negative.

We always try to win every game.

“Their pitch is not very good.

It’s got a big slope on it - similar to Harrogate Railway - and they have had quite a lot of bad weather down there. It will be a severe bat - tle for everyone but training has been very good. The boys are in great spirits and the key is being professional.”