Mossley chase cup windfall

MOSSLEY will have to keep an eye on Chris Downey, their former striker, in tomorrow’s FA Cup, first qualifying-round tie at Flixton.

Remarkably, all nine of Downey’s goals this season have been scored in the four ties Flixton have played to reach this stage.

In Flixton’s preliminary-round replay against Lincolnshire side Bottesford Town, Downey scored four times as his side secured an extraordinary 7-5 victory after being 5-3 down with 15 minutes left.

Mossley, who beat Ramsbottom United 3-1 in their opening game in the preliminary round, will be looking to pick up a cash bonus on offer to the winners.

“The competition's increased prize fund means we will receive £3,000 if we win tomorrow, and that is a lot of money to any non-league club,” explained Lilywhites manager Chris Willcock.

Willcock says the biggest danger to his side is complacency after Tuesday’s 3-1 win against Halifax Town took them to the top of UniBond League, first division north.

Flixton are next to bottom of the premier division in the Vodkat North-West Counties League and on Tuesday lost 6-0 at Atherton LR.

n OLDHAM Town head to Merseyside tomorrow to meet the challenge of AFC Liverpool, the team recently formed by Liverpool fans who claim they have been priced out of watching Premier League football.

AFC Liverpool are top of the table in the Vodkat North-West Counties League first division, but Town manager Tony Mills saw them lose for the first time last weekend, 2-1 at Wigan Robin Park.

“There is no way they should have lost that game, said Mills. “They are a good side who play football the right way.”

Town go to Prescot with spirits high after their midweek 7-2 victory at Rochdale Town and Mills says his approach will be to let AFC Liverpool worry about his fourth-placed team, who boast a 100-per-cent record in the league.