“ANYTHING can happen” in the FA Vase with a bit of momentum – something 1874 Northwich are very much aware of.

They start their latest campaign in the competition at Prestwich Heys on Saturday, kick off 3pm, with their memorable run to the 2017-18 semi finals still fresh in the memory.

Neighbours Northwich Victoria reached the same stage last season and 1874 co-manager Wayne Goodison says the past two years show how a fair wind can propel a side towards Wembley.

“We saw it with Vics last year and with ourselves the year before, anything can happen in this competition if you get a bit of momentum behind you,” he said.

“We set ourselves a target of going a couple of rounds into the FA Cup – which we have done – and we want to do the same with the Vase.

“We’ll try and get through a couple of rounds and see what happens.

“After that, it settles down and you get an idea of who’s going to be strong.”

While they may be travelling to a side in the division below, Prestwich have started strongly in the North West Counties League First Division North.

Goodison, who picks the 1874 team alongside Paul Bowyer, insists their opponents will be given the respect they deserve.

“Saturday is a tough one. We’ve had them watched and we know a lot of their players,” he said.

“They may be in the league below us but there are lads in their team who have played at a much higher level.

“They’ve got a bit of a blend going. We won’t be looking at them thinking they won’t be a strong side because they will be.”

Goodison and Bowyer’s side go into the game in good form having won 3-2 at Runcorn Town on Monday to leave them third in the North West Counties League Premier Division.

That followed Saturday’s 6-0 thrashing of Handsworth Parramore in the FA Cup.

“With the way it pans out , we may not play a league game for three or four weeks,” Goodison said.

“That’s why it was important we got the win at Runcorn – if that does happen to us, we’re not going to find ourselves adrift.

“We obviously had it with the Vase run two years ago when we had so many games to catch up on and we don’t want that again.

“In a way, we’ll put the league to bed now for a couple of weeks and concentrate on the cup competitions.”

The winners of Saturday’s first qualifying round tie will face either Cammell Laird 1907 or Charnock Richard in the next phase.