CARLISLE United have been warned they must avoid coming an FA Cup cropper at Alfreton Town.
It will be Blues versus Reds this afternoon as Carlisle head to the Impact Arena for their first round tie against Conference National outfit Alfreton.
And Carlisle boss Greg Abbott (pictured above) is determined his League One side will not fall victim to a giantkilling against a club 61 places below them in the football pyramid.
“There will be a lot of shocks on Saturday,” said Abbott. “We don’t want to be one of them.
“We’re expected to get a result, Alfreton aren’t, If we win we should have won, if we lose it’s a massive scalp.
“I’ve been in the situation before where I have been on the wrong end of a result against a team who were the underdogs and it’s a horrible feeling, but it’s what this competition is all about.
“I think that’s why this competition still holds its magic. All eyes will be on these games up and down the country and we know that the only people who want us to go through are our own fans.
“Everyone else would like nothing more than Alfreton to knock us out, but that’s what it’s all about.
“There will be a shock, somewhere, and all you can do is prepare properly and play the game your way, and hope that it isn’t you.
“We know that if we do go there and if we do play to our tempo then we should get the victory, but football isn’t like that. If we take anything for granted at all then it will come back and bite us.
“And, if we draw, it’s nervy times for the replay so we’ve got to do a professional job, get a result, perform properly and respect what Alfreton will do.
“We’ve had a good week with the lads and I think the senior players have reminded the rest about how much of a banana skin this round can be. We can’t say it enough, it has to be done right. Hopefully, come quarter to five, we’ll be talking about the fact that we’ve done just that.”
Alfreton were promoted from the Conference North at the end of last season but have found life difficult at the higher level, and currently sit next-to-bottom to the Conference National and are fighting relegation. But Abbott has a lot of respect for Town boss Nicky Law, who has also had spells in charge of League clubs Chesterfield, Bradford City and Grimsby Town.
He added: “I know Nicky really well and I know that he will feel that his lads can do something. They are on their own ground, in front of their own fans, and they will be really up for it, we can guarantee that.
“He is a big, uncompromising defender and he will demand the highest of standards from his team. I went to watch them in the replay against Lincoln and that’s exactly what they gave him.
“They aren’t so much a physical side, but they challenge for everything and they close down quickly, and they won’t allow any time anywhere on the park.
“They can also play a bit as well, let’s not make any mistake about that, so we’re going to have be right on the day to deal with it.” Alfreton are hoping to spring a surprise, with chairman Wayne Bradley admitting: “We face a real daunting task against Carlisle and all we can ask is that our team gives its all in the hope a major cup shock can be achieved.
“It is a nice distraction from the threat of relegation from the Blue Square Bet Premier, though, and it will be a day for everyone at the club to enjoy.”
Carlisle’s on-loan Manchester City midfielder Jeremy Helan returned to the Etihad Stadium this week, after spending a month at Brunton Park.
Abbott was keen for the Frenchman to stay, but Helan has apparently attracted interest from elsewhere.
“It appears something else has come up for him,” said Abbott.
“We’ll see where he goes now, because he has kept that close to his chest, but he leaves with our very best wishes.”
