AFC Liverpool manager Matt Potter has highlighted the magnitude of their FA Vase encounter with Eccleshill United but insists a performance is needed.
The Reds travel west Yorkshire looking to keep their dream of Wembley alive as they look to finally go head-to-head with the Northern Counties East Football League outfit following three postponements.
Whoever comes out on top in the clash will host either Atherstone Town or Hartpury University in the Fifth Round Proper.
“For this one it adds to the occasion a bit more where we’re just chomping at the bit to go and play,” Potter told Off The Park. “It’s one of those ones where it cancels the league fixtures, we’ve fell lucky that we’ve had a few midweek games so it’s almost like the usual routine of training during the week and playing the weekends, it’s just been reversed so we’ve been playing midweek and training Saturday mornings.
“We’ve been ticking over, results have been decent going into it, we’ve beat West Didsbury and Chorlton 5-3, Kendal Town 5-0 and then this week it was one of the toughest, looking at league positions, going into and we got a 2-2 draw. We’re as ready as we can be and looking forward to it.”
Potter succeeded Chris Anderson as AFC Liverpool manager at the beginning of the season before he made his interim role permanent following an impressive start to the campaign.
They’re now just two points off of Wythenshawe Town in second as the race for promotion heats up. It’s a stark contrast from the side that finished mid-table a matter of months ago.
Despite being in his early tenure in charge, the AFC boss has already ranked it among some of the most important games of his career.
He continued: “My management career at AFC has been short but it’s the biggest game for me. But for the club, you could argue that it’s the biggest game in the clubs history, we’re 90 minutes away from the furthest the clubs been in its history so it’s one we’re looking forward to.
“That road to Wembley is there but we’ve got make sure as much as they’re up for it, they are disciplined and organised and maintain the standards we’ve set to get this far in the competition. It’s one of those ones where the competition as a whole is career-changing for some people, to get there and get to the final so it’s very big.
“Four games away from Wembley but it’s still a way away, we’ve got to get there first. The amount of people who have played at Wembley at this level is very few, it’s massive but you can always get carried away and build up the occasion a lot more.
“We’ve still got Eccleshill to play and they’ll be in the same position looking at it, they’re still four games away and will want to get past us. It’ll be a momentous occasion for both clubs.”
[Featured image: Dave Williams]
