FA Cup 1st round: FC United host Dean Saunders’ Chesterfield
Published:
Sam Barnard, Assistant Sports Editor | November 8, 2015
FC United of Manchester v Chesterfield
- FA Cup first round
- Monday, November 9th
- Kick-off: 19:45 GMT
- Broadhurst Park, Manchester
- Live on BT Sport 2
FC United to take inspiration from Salford
After already witnessing Manchester United’s Class of 92 club Salford City upset world’s oldest professional football club Notts County in the FA Cup first round, Red Rebels FC United of Manchester can take inspiration from that when they host Chesterfield.
Although only formed in 2005, FC United (5/1 for victory with Coral) are already more advanced in the league tier system than their fellow Man Utd affiliated team, as they recently gained promotion to the National League North as champions.
Their remarkable rise in the game has been driven on by fans passion and determination, after breakaway supporters became unhappy with the Old Trafford owners.
League One outfit Chesterfield are FC United’s opponents at their brand new 4400 capacity Broadhurst Park ground in Moston, Manchester, and are the odds-on 1/2 favourites.
Like Salford, the Red Rebels are facing a team three divisions above them, but will be spurred on from their near neighbours’ dominant 2-0 win, as well as other non-league clubs Altrincham, Eastleigh and Forest Green Rovers causing shocks at the weekend.
Ex-Liverpool star Saunders wary of FC United
Spireites boss and former Liverpool player Dean Saunders is certainly wary of his side’s upcoming opposition, who are on a bad run of six straight league losses.
“I’ve been the manager of a Conference team playing the bigger teams and you can beat them,” he said. “The players believe they can beat them, on a one-off game.
“The lower down you go, the less consistent the players are. But that doesn’t mean they can’t put in a nine out of ten performance.”
In terms of scorers for FC United, they may not have a many familiar names as Salford, although do have Ryan Giggs’ brother Rhodri as a coach, Tom Greaves (11/4) and Rory Patterson (3/1) top the anytime market.
Former Red Devil Ebanks-Blake to lead line for visitors
Meanwhile, for visitors Chesterfield, they have their very own former Man Utd academy graduate in Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, who has netted six times this season. He is odds-on at 10/11 to strike anytime again, and a more enticing 7/2 to break the deadlock.
It would not be the first time that FC United will have reached the FA Cup second round, if they can beat Chesterfield, as they knocked out Rochdale back in 2010/11. But the Derbyshire side have made it past their last five ties with non-league opposition.
A draw at 10/3, to enforce a replay, is a tempting price to take for FC United, who have been managed by Karl Marginson since they were created 10 years ago.
Related
Check out our FA Cup archive
Coral’s top tip: No less than four non-league teams have upset much higher oppositions this term, and Salford are 10/3 chances to get a draw against League outfit Chesterfield
