“IT has all the makings of a really good FA Cup tie,” Steve Watson believes of York City’s home game against Buxton today.

The two sides are battling it out for a place in the second round proper at the LNER Community Stadium (3pm) - and though the Bucks are a division below York, they carry plenty of threat.

Buxton are currently flying high in the Northern Premier League premier division, sitting third and having just lost their first game after a 20-match unbeaten run.

Among a strong squad are former York strikers Diego De Girolamo and Ashley Chambers, who have 24 goals between them this term, as well as former Football League star Jamie Ward.

York have already defeated two of Buxton’s NPL premier division rivals in their Cup run, but boss Steve Watson is anticipating a tougher test in this first round tie.

“Squad-wise and experience-wise, they’re not a million miles away from where we are,” he said.

“We take every game seriously. There’s no other way to do it but we’re under no illusions how good a side they actually are, and what we need to do to beat them.

“No disrespect to the other two teams but Buxton look like the best team in their division.

“I spoke to a couple of guys from South Shields a few weeks about them and they said they’re very good.

“We’re under no illusions how tough the game will be. They’ve got real quality.

“We’ve got Clayton, who’s got amazing pedigree, and they’ve got a guy, Jamie Ward, who’s got a similar pedigree. He’s an international, he’s only 35 so he’s still got plenty of football left in him.

“Ash Chambers, Diego De Girolamo, (Warren) Clarke, (Tom) Elliot - they’ve got a lot of quality.

“It’s got all the makings of a really good FA Cup tie.”

Adding to the anticipation ahead of the Cup game, the capacity limit has been lifted at the Community Stadium, which will from now on be able to welcome its maximum crowd of 8,500.

City are hopeful of a season-high attendance, a record currently held by the 3,199 who turned up for Southport.

Pre-match sales are already around 3,000, with fans paying on the gate expected to boost the number further.

Buxton are bringing more than 800 fans, whose presence will see the West Stand away overflow section opened for the first time this season.

York fans will have a role to play tomorrow, says Watson - but they will need something to bounce off.

“I constantly try to emphasise how important (the fans) are," he said. "Saturday was fantastic.

“It’s starting to get to where we want it to be.

“But we have to produce the football in front of them. We all have a part to play. Fans have their part to play, I’ve got my part to play and players have their part to play.

“Once it all comes together, hopefully we’ll take some stopping."

In the week leading up to the tie, Buxton have brought in a new management pair.

But that does not affect how York are looking at the game, Watson says. They will prepare as if it were a league fixture.

“A number of things can happen when a new manager comes in. You can get a new manager bounce effect, it can take them time to get going, but it doesn’t affect our thought process," he said.

“We’ve had a pretty tumultuous week ourselves so we concentrate on ourselves.

“I don’t look at the FA Cup and the league as any different way to approach a game.

“Preparation for the FA Cup will be exactly the same as it would be for Boston, as it would be for Chester, as it would be for Blyth.

“It’s not different in that respect. It’s a game we’re going out to win and I don’t think you can change mentality.

“For the FA Cup, where you’re trying to get to the second or third round, and the FA Trophy where you’re looking to win it, they’re in the same category as the league.

“You’re not trying to change too much. You’ve got to keep the lads’ mentality the same as well. You don’t want them coming in to training in FA Cup week thinking they have to do any less or any more than usual.

“You need the standard as high as possible for every single session and every single game."