Cup excitement is finally back for The Greens, as focus now shifts away from the league to all things FA Vase. The match could provide a good platform for improvement, after last weekend’s disappointment at Staveley Miners Welfare. In the game, Sleaford lead 3-1, but collapsed to defeat in the dying embers of the game.

Recent seasons in this competition have been relatively unsuccessful but the club, under the guise of Jamie McGhee, will be wanting to write a new chapter. It will be a challenging journey ahead for The Greens if they want to prevail in the competition, as they will have to compete with nearly six hundred teams from the country across eight stages to reach the final at Wembley on the 16th of May next year

Victory against Birstall would see the club reach the first round proper for the first time in three seasons. The club’s best ever performance was reaching the fourth round in 2015/16, bowing out so Sunderland Ryhope 3-2.

Saturday has all the promise to be a special weekend for the club, but for Dion Tansey-Potter, it could be even more special as he returns to his former club. Looking ahead of the tie, Tansey-Potter believes the team can provide a performance to be proud of.

“The competition means a lot to me”, he said. “It’s one I’d really like us to do well in, progress through the rounds and hopefully see how far we can go. It’s exciting and a nice change from the league, but at the same time it’s something we want to take just as seriously.

“I think you always have to be optimistic. Personally, whatever I’m involved in, I want to give my best and try to achieve something, and I’m sure the rest of the lads will feel the same. It might be a break from the league, but it’s a competition we’re all excited to be involved in and one we want to do well in. There’s definitely optimism within the group, and hopefully we can put a good run together and see where it takes us”.

Despite looking forward to returning to Birstall, Sleaford’s tricky wide man expresses the love for his current group: “It’ll definitely feel a little strange because I’ve never played at that ground as anything other than a Birstall player! But it’ll be nice to go back, see some old faces and play against them this time.

They’ll definitely be tough opponents. I know some of the lads who are still there and I know they’ll give us a difficult game. I’ve got nothing but good things to say about Birstall and enjoyed my time there, but I’m a Sleaford Town player now, so once the game starts my focus is completely on us getting the win and getting through to the next round.

“However, the team [at Sleaford] means a lot to me as well. Without probably even knowing it, the lads have helped me start really enjoying my football again and loving being out there on the pitch. I feel like week by week and game by game, they’re understanding me and the way I play more, and I’m understanding them more too. I’m excited to see what I can do here and what we can achieve together as a team”.

Opposition Focus

United currently play their football in the Midlands League Division One, a neighbouring step six division. Formerly of the United Counties League set-up, Birstall have had success since transferral. The club finished seventh last season and occupy the same spot so far this campaign.

Birstall come into the game with a poor set of results: back-to-back losses against Leicester St. Andrews 5-0 and Lutterworth Athletic 3-0 will want to be forgotten, alongside other defeats to North Kilworth and Northfield Town in their last five games.

Birstall’s best-ever FA Vase run came in 1998, when they were defeated by Spalding United 2-1.