IAN Street has said that success in the FA Vase on Sunday is as important as maintaining a title challenge.

The 1874 Northwich manager told the Guardian he is desperate to take his team as far as possible in this season’s competition ahead of a second-round trip to Bishop Auckland.

“I wouldn’t say the league is a priority above everything else,” he said.

“The FA Vase offers clubs like ours a chance to play at Wembley. More than the exposure, there can be significant financial benefits from a good run.

“We’ve won three games already to get this far, and in prize money alone that has brought in a couple of grand for the club.

“Our ultimate aim is to have our own ground, so to contribute to a nest egg for that is important.”

He had hoped to cast an eye over Bishops, sixth in Northern League Division One, last Saturday only for their home date with Newcastle Benfield to be postponed while he was in the final stages of his journey.

It meant he also missed 1874’s goalless stalemate with Nelson at Barton Stadium.

Street said: “I was 40 minutes from the ground when I stopped for a break and to check my messages as the phone had lit up a couple of times.

“That’s how I found out the game had been called off, but it was too late to turn back.”

He will hope for a more productive visit to the north east tomorrow, though a switch to playing on Sunday has led to some players becoming unavailable.

One who could feature is Adam Bayley, a defender, who played in a midweek friendly draw at Barnton.

He signed this week from Huws Gray Alliance club Penycae.

“Obviously I’d like everybody to travel, but that isn’t possible,” added Street.

“Fortunately the squad is quite big at the moment, and I’d much rather have that than be scratching around for players.

“I won’t pick a side on Sunday with the game [against Glossop North End] on Tuesday in mind; I’ll go as strong as possible and then see what happens in terms of planning for the next one.

“Having a larger group hasn’t made selection more difficult because we’ll always go with the lads in form.

“That means I’m the Big Bad Wolf when I have to tell people they won’t be involved!”

Kick off tomorrow is 4pm.

If the scores end level, the teams will meet again at Barton Stadium on Tuesday.