IAN Street insists his players have found their mojo again ahead of what he considers to be the biggest game of the season so far.

1874 Northwich travel to Rochdale Town on Saturday in the FA Vase, a competition the manager says is top of a list of their priorities.

The North West Counties League club reached the third round on their debut last term before bowing out 3-0 against eventual finalists Glossop North End.

That run was rewarded with a bye to the first round in this year’s edition.

“It’s a big game for us, and we’ve been talking about it for ages,” said Street.

“The lads are excited, even winding up Stuart Wellstead for being cup tied by saying he can walk out at Wembley holding our captain’s hand!

“That’s a bit of fun, but they know there is a serious job to do [Rochdale].

“They’ll be bang up for it; they beat us at their place before we were promoted, and it was one of the few games we lost in Division One.

“I’m sure they’ll remember that, but we do too!”

Since a 4-0 defeat at Ashton Athletic earlier this month, 1874 have won four of the next five fixtures.

They have scored 19 times along the way, including four against landlords Winsford United in the Men United cup last weekend.

Attacking trio Matthew Beadle, Mike Brandon and Ryan Jackson have all reached double figures for the season already, although Street insists he’s seen a collective improvement in the past fortnight.

He added: “Lots of small things have come together rather than their being a turning point.

“Getting lads back after injury obviously helps, while others have rediscovered their best form.

“The belief is there now, while it perhaps wasn’t when we had a rocky patch a few weeks back.

“Even then we weren’t losing, we’ve shown character to avoid getting beat.

“That feels a long time ago now – the side we’ve seen in the past few games is like what I’d call the old 1874.”

He said the performance in a 5-0 win at Alsager is the best of the campaign so far.

It propelled his side to third place in the Premier Division, eight points adrift of pacesetters Colne.

Danny Thomas hopes to have shaken off a calf niggle to face Runcorn

Ryan Jackson (groin) and newcomer Danny Cawley (ankle) are doubts too.

In-form winger Stuart Wellstead and defender Craig Farnworth, who has returned to the club for a second spell, are both cup tied after playing for other clubs in a previous round.

If this weekend’s contest ends in a draw, a replay is scheduled at Barton Stadium on Tuesday.

The winners will receive £900 in prize money.

Northwich Guardian:

Lee Jones' first-half dismissal contributed to 1874 Northwich's FA Vase exit last season