FA Cup: Easington Colliery braced for test against Northern League rivals Whitley Bay
The FA Cup gets underway this weekend as a whole host of North East clubs enter the competition in the extra preliminary round.
Olly Hotchkiss has warned his Easington Colliery players they must be at their best if they are to progress into the FA Cup preliminary round with a win at Northern League Division One rivals Whitley Bay on Saturday.
The Colliers have made a positive start to the season and will make the trip to Hillheads full of confidence they can see off a home side that have fallen to defeats against Newcastle Benfield and Horden CW in their last two outings. However, the four-time FA Vase winners have already fired one warning shot this season after a brace from striker Mackenzie Sharpe and a Alfie Livermore goal helped them to an impressive 3-2 win at promotion contenders Shildon in their first away game of the campaign.
A visit to Knaresborough Town or Whickham will be the prize for the winners of Saturday’s tie - and Hotchkiss is under no illusions his side are in for a tough test against Jay Bates’ men.
He told The Echo: “The FA Cup is always a massive competition for non-league clubs because you know what it can bring. We know where we are at as a club financially and getting through a few rounds can absolutely help with that.
“I don’t like standing still and one of the things that can help you move on is the finance and the prestige of the FA Cup - but we know we have a very tough test going to Whitley Bay because it’s always a difficult place to go. It won’t be easy going there and we know we have to be at our best to get the result we want to get into the next round of the competition.”
FA Cup extra preliminary round fixtures
Yarm & Eaglescliffe v West Auckland Town, Carlisle City v Northallerton Town, Consett v North Shields, Whitley Bay v Easington Colliery, Birtley Town v Bishop Auckland, Penrith v Bridlington Town, Shildon v Blyth Town, Ashington v Horden Community Welfare, Newcastle Benfield v Redcar Town, Guisborough Town v Thornaby, Crook Town v Pickering Town, Newton Aycliffe v Kendal Town, Knaresborough Town v Whickham, Blyth Spartans v Newcastle Blue Star
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