‘Let’s make an FA Cup memory’

Chester are the visitors in the second qualifying round, and the Gainsborough Trinity boss has put all other thoughts aside this week.

He told the Standard: “It’s a great occasion for a non-league player to be involved in and it’s probably the biggest tie of the round. This week, for us, is FA Cup week. We’ve got a bit of a light-hearted team spirit and we’ll give it a go come Saturday.”

“As I said last year, we have got three games to get to the first round proper – this is a quarter-final, semi-final and final for us.”

As a professional player Housham was lucky enough to be involved in some memorable FA Cup games, and admits that he still loves the competition.

“It’s the biggest competition you can be involved in,” he said.

“I played in the third round proper for Scunthorpe at Crystal Palace, we lost 2-0 but I did okay and hit the post early on.”

“With Barrow in non-league we got to the second round and I scored against Oldham at Boundary Park.

“From a non-league point of view it’s great to be involved in the FA Cup.”

The Northolme is expected to be packed on Saturday, when former league club Chester roll into town.

They’re flying high in the Blue Square Bet North table in second place, having been promoted from the Evo-Stik Premier last season.

Housham hopes the locals will come out in numbers to ensure the game still feels like a home tie.

He said: “They’ve got an amazing history, they used to be a league club.

“It’s the best draw we could have had, normally you get an easy looking away game that everyone expects you to win – but we’re the underdogs for this one.”

“I expect there will be 1,000 in the ground come Saturday.”

“We’re underdogs, but we’re full of confidence and we’ll give it our best shot.”

The Blues enter the game on the back of two wins and two clean sheets in a row.

Housham added: “Hopefully we can carry our form into the game, we’ve been playing well over the last couple of games.”

Chester meanwhile lost 3-2 to Trinity’s Lincolnshire rivals Boston United on Saturday, ruining their 100 per cent record in the league.

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