IAN Street insists the manner of last year’s FA Vase exit will ‘make no difference’ to his side’s determination to progress in this season’s edition.

1874 Northwich withdrew when they could not raise a team in midweek to play a rearranged tie at Morpeth.

Another team from the north east, Billingham Synthonia, provide the opposition at St Luke’s Barton Stadium this Saturday, kick off 3pm.

“What happened in the past will have no bearing on this game,” said Street.

“There’s probably only three or four lads still here who were back then, and the new guys probably won’t be aware of what went on.

“I bear no grudge or bitterness – not playing Morpeth isn’t a fuel for us to put something right.

“The FA Vase is one of our priorities, and it’s a competition we want to do well in because of the financial incentives and also because it can attract attention to the club – there’s a prestige to it.”

Billingham have won two matches on their travels already to reach this stage.

However they suffered a first defeat of the season in the Northern League’s second division when they lost 4-0 at Durham City on Tuesday.

1874 succumbed to Congleton the same evening, ending a sequence of four successive wins in all competitions.

They sit third in the North West Counties League’s top flight, two points adrift of leaders Runcorn Town.

Street said: “When you’re on a run like we have been, you want to just keep on playing league games to collect as many points as possible.

“Equally, a cup tie can be a relief from the pressure of that.”

Should Saturday’s game end in a draw, 1874 will head to Billingham next Wednesday for a replay.

A victory at this stage is worth £675 to the winners.