TADCASTER ALBION will face their toughest test yet when they travel to either Chadderton or AFC Mansfield in the last 16 of the FA Vase, manager Paul Marshall has stressed.
The Brewers booked their place at this stage of the competition for only the second time in their history with a 3-2 win over Brocton on Saturday but they will have to leave the comforts for Ings Lane if they are to reach the quarter-finals.
Marshall has warned that AFC Mansfield, a league below Tadcaster in the Northern Counties East League first division, would pose significant problems for Albion, having brought in former Scarborough Athletic boss Rudy Funk as manager and having recruited a number of Evo-Stik League standard players.
Oldham-based Chadderton have already disposed of Northern League outfit Newcastle Benfield in the qualifying rounds of the Vase and play Mansfield tonight with the Tadcaster game pencilled in for February 7.
Marshall is under no illusions about what awaits his men as they bid to continue their march to the Wembley arch.
He said: “I would have thought it will be our most difficult game yet in the competition. It will be an interesting game but the dream is still alive.
“It will be different against Mansfield away from home. Rudy has strengthened the team and they are the ones to watch. He has got a decent budget to work with.
“Chadderton are in mid-table in their division but they beat a Northern League team quite comfortably early on.”
Albion are quickly back in action as they go to NCEL top-tier basement dwellers Nostell Miners Welfare in the NCEL premier division tomorrow night (kick off 7.45pm).
With their hosts having picked up just nine points from 22 games, the result looks a formality but Marshall has urged his side to be professional and put the upcoming Vase encounter to the back of their minds.
“The last time we had a Vase game at home we were beaten by Cleethorpes straight after,” he said.
“It distracted us and everyone was talking about the next round of the Vase. We have got to be professional. First and foremost, what we want to achieve is promotion.
“They were beaten at Thackley at the weekend and are languishing at the bottom of the table. We would be disappointed with anything less than a win.”
Marshall will have to make do tonight without striker Josh Greening, who has again injured an ankle, and centre-half Denny Ingram. The veteran defender picked up a “little calf strain” against Brocton.
“We have got other players who can come in,” said the Brewers’ boss.
WARD WALLOP: Calum Ward wheels away after scoring the goal that put Tadcaster Albion into the last 16 of the FA Vase
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