Why should I watch..?

Because it’s Witton’s biggest game of the campaign so far.

A run to the first round last season, when they lost to Chester in a replay in controversial circumstances, was their best in a decade.

They head to Cumbria in good form after winning four of their past five games in all competitions, a sequence that started with a success against Workington earlier this month.

There has been little to choose between the teams in two previous meetings during the current campaign; a 1-1 draw at Borough Park in August was followed by that 1-0 victory for Carl Macauley’s men a fortnight ago.

That has been the Reds’ only defeat in their past seven Northern Premier League fixtures, and they sit sixth in the table.

What they’ve said

“Workington is always a difficult place to travel to, and not many teams leave there with a victory.

“We’ve taken four points off them from our league meetings earlier this season but they were both tight games that might have gone either way.

“It’s a really difficult draw, and we’ll have to be at our very best to get through.”

Carl Macauley, Witton Albion manager

Numbers game

Albion have only exited the FA Trophy at the first qualifying round stage once since 2009 – a 2-1 defeat at home to Radcliffe Borough during the initial stages of Carl Macauley’s tenure two years ago

Man to keep an eye on

Anthony Brown

Witton’s skipper will marshal a defence that needs to keep quite in-form attacker Samuel Joel, who has scored in each of his past three appearances for Workington.

That includes a double in their 4-0 win against Sutton Coldfield last weekend.

The youngster benefitted from a change in position to play closer to leading goal-scorer Scott Allison, and it paid off.

Witton team news

Influential midfielder Prince Haywood is available again after completing a three-match ban, coincidentally as a result of his dismissal when the teams met earlier this month.

Full-back Matty Devine (hamstring) is ruled out indefinitely by an injury, while his stand-in Danny McKenna has been passed fit after sitting out a midweek win at Runcorn Town in the Cheshire FA Senior Cup with a calf complaint.

Form (past six in league)

Workington W D L W W W

Witton L W W L L L

Most recent meetings

Witton 1-0 Workington (NPL Premier Division, October 10 2017)

Workington 1-1 Witton (NPL Premier Division, August 22 2017)

Witton 1-2 Workington (NPL Premier Division, December 13 2014)

Remember when…?

The teams met in the FA Trophy at the second qualifying round stage three years ago?

Danny Andrews’ stunning strike from distance earned for Witton a deserved replay after the teams shared six goals during a compelling contest at Wincham Park.

Reds had led for the first time when Phil McLuckie bundled in a loose ball after Albion goalkeeper Ryan Swift had saved Matthew Tymon’s tame penalty, making it 3-2.

Goals from Alex Titchiner and Jamie Rainford, either side of Tymon’s leveller, had set Tony Sullivan’s side on a course for the next stage before Jake Simpson’s freak reply – an unexpected bounce on his cross bamboozled Swift – stopped their momentum.

The Guardian was there. To read our report, click here.

Odds

Workington 11/10

Draw 11/4

Witton 7/4

Essential information

When Saturday, October 28

Address Borough Park, Workington, Cumbria CA14 2DT

Kick off 3pm

Replay date Tuesday, October 31 (kick-off 7.45pm)

Prize money £3,250

Admission Adults £11, Concessions £7, Under 17s £3, Under 12s £1