Gloucester CIty play host to Coleshill Town at the TigerTurf Stadium for the first round of the FA Trophy proper.
The Tigers have progressed to the last 64 of the competiton for the last four seasons in a row and will be looking to replicate this when they play Coleshill who have made the first round proper for the first time in four years.
Both sides have had unconventional routes to the first round in 2024/25 with City winning at home to a Wimborne Town after a titanic penalty shootout winning that 8-7, while the visitors for this game had to come from two goals down against Ilkestone to defeat them 3-2.
City boss Mike Cook hints at potential changes being made, but stresses the CIty squad will be strong and at the fullest strength it can possibly be as they aim to defeat the Warwickshire based side.
"When I say we are going to go full strength, we think the whole 16 are full strength, so it won’t be the same XI every week.
"if you are in the squad of 16 then that would be full strength, if you are one of the inexperienced lads coming into the squads like players 17/18/19 or 20 which would potentially be the UDA lads or people like Luca Robinson, that would the be ones we would turn around and say that we’ve given them a bit of experience,
"Full strength is to show that we are respecting them quite a lot and we want to win the game."
The Coleman currently sit 13th in the Northern Premier League Division One Midlands with 15 points from 13 games having finished 15th in the league, in 2023/24.
Their away record in the league is mixed with two wins, one draw and three defeats, while City boast a 100% record at the TigerTurf Stadium.
Coleshill come into the fixture on a poor run of form with four consecutive defeats in the league scoring just the once and conceding nine, sandwiched in between a win against Walsall CC in the Walsall Senior Cup.
Despite this poor run of form, Cook is hoping that his City side will be able to deal with the threats that the away side will bring and that they will bring as stern a test as any team in the Southern Premier Divison South.
"Just done the analysis and they look a bit more direct than what we are, they play off the front one or two, we think it’s probably going to be a 4-5-1 when they are playing against us they will back up a bit.
"We’ve got to get used to having the ball like we have done over the last three or four games and penetrate them over, through and round.
"Lots of overlaps and underlaps by full backs and getting them pushed on and getting forward.
"As long as we can retain possession well that works an opening, it’s worked reasonably well this season, especially in the league against some really good teams we’ve just got to go and do the same thing I think."
Players like King Baidoo will be hoping to build on their double on Tuesday night away to Winchester City, while Ed Williams impressed on Tuesday night and will be raring to go to ruberstamp their name in City's starting line up
The Tigers currently sit on a seven match unbeaten run in all competitions, with thier last defeat coming in the FA Cup after the disappointing loss to Gosport Borourgh.
Despite the frustration that defeat brought at the time, that defeat could be used to help bring out the perfect balance between a successful league campaign and doing well in the cup competitions.
"I’ll be honest I wouldn’t want to be in the FA Cup, FA Trophy, County Cup, whatever other cup there is and try and do a league season as well on top of that.
"To do well in the FA Trophy now that we are out of the FA Cup, I would love a little run at that.
At the moments its worked out quite well with this squad of 16,17 or 18."
"We will have to go a little bit younger on the bench on Saturday, with Zak Pinchard coming in as we’ve got low numbers with suspensions and things like that. We will be able to rotate a few players and give it a real good go."
The usual notable absences should be out for City with players like Jadyn Crosbie, Harry PInchard and others out, while Daniel Leadbitter will be suspended for the fixture after picking up two yellow cards in the draw away to AFC Totton last saturday.
Make sure you get your tickets and support the boys as who wouldn't want to see a cup run alongside our excellent form in the league here at the TigerTurf Stadium.
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