Latics braced for route-one challenge

DANNY WHITAKER . . . scored his first goal for Athletic against Cheltenham and will be hoping for a repeat tomorrow.

ATHLETIC don’t have to look too far into their past to find a shot of confidence for tomorrow’s tie in the FA Cup first round.

The Boundary Park side may be smarting from three defeats in a fortnight, but their league encounter with Cheltenham earlier this season delivered a thumping 4-0 win.

It was a hugely one-sided game as Lee Hughes blasted a hat-trick, Danny Whitaker scored his first goal for the club and countless other openings were created.

Cheltenham will be relieved to find Hughes missing tomorrow – the striker is serving a ban – but on that occasion there was a chasm between the teams.

Life can change very quickly in football, and there’s no doubt Athletic’s form has dipped in the intervening weeks, but Cheltenham continue to have problems.

They will launch their cup campaign with only one win from nine games, including a current run of four straight defeats – these are two sides not exactly on the crest of a wave.

The tie at Whaddon Road also promises a clash of styles as Athletic, despite their recent wobble, are striving to play a passing game, whereas Cheltenham will be far more direct.

ion for promoting no-nonsense, route-one football. And that reputation is not without strong basis.

Allen took over from Keith Downing in mid-September, creating history in the process as his father, Dennis, was a previous Cheltenham boss from the 1970s.

After a decent spell at MK Dons and a short-lived move to Leicester, where he was in charge for only four matches, Allen is now trying to recreate the spirit which earned him success on a shoestring with Brentford.

His first outing at Cheltenham ended in victory against Bristol Rovers, but the Robins concede goals at an alarming rate – and that should provide another boost to Athletic.

Cheltenham are saddled with the worst defensive record in the country as, on average, they have leaked two and a half goals per game.

The FA Cup turned out to hold pleasant surprises for Athletic last term when they beat Doncaster and Crewe before grabbing international headlines with the giant-killing of Everton at Goodison Park.

But there’s also a word of warning as this is the third time they have been drawn against Cheltenham and both previous ties ended in defeat.

The first came in 2001/02 when everything went wrong for a team led by Mick Wadsworth – Athletic were humbled 2-1 by basement-division opponents and also had Darren Sheridan sent off.

A chance for revenge came along the following season but, now under Iain Dowie’s management, they went down by the same scoreline at Boundary Park.

The current Cheltenham side are likely to recall Lloyd Owusu, who missed the defeat to Leeds last weekend due to suspension.

Owusu is their leading scorer, albeit with a modest three goals, following the return of on-loan Barry Hales to Leicester, while fellow striker Damian Spencer has just come back from long-term injury.

FA CUP FIRST ROUND

Tonight: Leeds v Northampton.

Tomorrow: Accrington v Tranmere; AFC Telford v Southend; Aldershot v Rotherham; Alfreton v Bury Town; Barnet v Rochdale; Blyth Spartans v Shrewsbury; Bournemouth v Bristol Rovers; Brighton v Hartlepool; Bury v Gillingham; Carlisle v Grays; Cheltenham v Athletic; Chester v Millwall; Chesterfield v Mansfield; Colchester v Leyton Orient; Crewe v Ebbsfleet; Curzon Ashton v Exeter; Darlington v Droylsden; Eastbourne v Barrow; Eastwood v Brackley; Harlow v Macclesfield; Hereford v Dag & Red; Histon v Swindon; Huddersfield v Port Vale; Kettering v Lincoln City; Kidderminster v Cambridge; Leicester v Stevenage; Leiston v Fleetwood; Luton v Altrincham; MK Dons v Bradford; Morecambe v Grimsby; Oxford Utd v Dorchester; Sutton v Notts County; Torquay v Evesham; Walsall v Scunthorpe; Yeovil v Stockport.

Sunday: Hornchurch v Peterborough; Havant & W v Brentford; Team Bath v Forest Green. Monday: AFC Wimbledon v Wycombe.