Cup call for Fuller

ricardo fuller: Made an encouraging contribution from the subs bench.

RICARDO Fuller is expected to lead the line at Mansfield on Saturday as Athletic bid to defy the doubters.

After a sharp showing as a sub in the 1-0 home defeat to Burton, experienced striker Fuller (36) will add physicality to the forward line for the FA Cup first-round tie at Field Mill by making his full debut for the club.

The make-up of the rest of the side remains in doubt. Liam Kelly is definitely out through suspension and the picture is as yet unclear concerning Mike Jones, who has an injured ankle.

Danny Lafferty’s loan from Burnley is over and a shoulder injury means he won’t return in the immediate future, but club-mate Cameron Dummigan is expected to remain at the club on an extended loan. Whether he will be allowed to become cup-tied by featuring for Athletic is another matter.

The same goes for fellow loan stars Jay Fulton of Swansea, Middlesbrough’s Jonathan Burn and Sheffield United striker Michael Higdon. The last of those missed the Brewers game through injury.

Mansfield were beaten 2-0 at home by Wycombe on Saturday in Sky Bet League Two, but the Stags are the bookies’ favourites to make it into the second round.

“We might be missing quite a few,” admitted Athletic boss David Dunn, in reference to the loan players ahead of his first game as a manager in the FA Cup. “But we will be going down to Mansfield very competitive, that’s for sure.”

On Fuller’s efforts in trying to turn around the deficit on Saturday, Dunn felt he added plenty to the side when arriving as a 65th-minute replacement for Fulton.

“We needed a spark,” Dunn added. “It was getting a little flat at around 55 minutes, when the initial start to the second half went. We needed someone to liven us up a bit and Ricardo did that.”