Match preview - FC United versus Chorley: Margy wants to see cup form in the league

FC United manager Karl Marginson is calling on his players to bring their cup form into the league as we host old rivals Chorley at Broadhurst Park this Saturday.

The Reds will be without the injured Sam Baird (groin) and Tom Greaves (hamstring strain) for a week or so, whilst George Thomson is a doubt with a tight calf but Margy believes he has the squad to cope with the fourth placed Magpies.

Baird picked up the injury whilst undergoing a trial with Premier League Burnley. The Turf Moor club are still keen on signing the 17-year-old and have signalled their intentions to keep monitoring him. Due to his age, FC United were unable to offer Baird a full contract earlier this season, so he may be able to leave on a free transfer.

Meanwhile, Margy hopes that midfielder Greg Wilkinson will be available for Saturday’s match. The 27-year-old former Stokport County and Altrincham player previously had a trial with FC United in the summer of 2015 but opted to join Telford United. However, after another spell at relegation threatened Altrincham, he’s back at FC United and came on as a substitute during last Saturday’s 3-0 victory over Austria Salzburg.

Following that result, FC United went through to the Manchester Premier Cup Final for the first time after beating West Didsbury & Chorlton 7-1 on Tuesday. Now Margy wants his players to convert that form into the league in order to get our first league victory since Boxing Day.

He said: "The last week has been good. It was particularly pleasing to get through to a cup final, albeit against a team from a lower division, and score 10 goals in two games but now we need to start doing that in the league."

Margy was understandably disappointed with our last outing in the Vanarama National League North - a 3-0 defeat at home to Salford City. He said: "Salford are obviously a very good team. After beating us they’ve gone on to beat Fylde 5-0, so that shows their strength. But I thought some of our players gave them a bit too much respect, which is a strange one because we are one of the biggest non-league clubs in the world and we don’t have to fear anyone."

Margy added: "Other than that result, I think we have been moving in the right direction. I’ll be expecting us to play as we can against Chorley tomorrow."

FC United and Chorley have been regular and closely fought rivals since our first encounter in September 2007. The Reds hold the upper-hand with nine victories to Chorley’s four, and there have been four draws.

The two clubs have been involved in some intriguing contests over the years. We caused an upset by beating the Magpies in the Northern Premier play-off semi-final in 2012 before losing to Bradford Park Avenue in the final. Two years later, Chorley pipped us to the title by one point but we dumped them out of the FA Trophy the following season during our run to the quarter-final against Torquay.

The two teams most recently met on the first day of this season back in August at Victory Park. Two goals from George Thomson and Jerome Wright looked to have given the Reds the perfect start to the campaign but Scott Leather scored a late equaliser in an entertaining 3-3 draw.

FC United of Manchester versus Chorley is this Saturday at Broadhurst Park with a traditional and supporter friendly kick-off time of three o’clock. It’s pay on the gate as usual with prices at £9 for adults, £5 for concessions and £2 for under-18s. Get yourself to that football ground.