Gaffer demands a win on Monday night

Micky Adams is keeping tight-lipped about his team selection for the FA Cup tie against Shortwood United.

Whether he intends to make any changes from the side beaten by Swindon Town will not be known until he announces his team on Monday, but there will be no excuses whatever happens..

He says: “There were a couple of players who did themselves a lot of good in the reserve game the other night, but we will pick a team accordingly.

“We want to pay Shortwood the upmost respect, as we have done in our preparation, and pick a team to go there and win the game.

“The realistic target for a club at our level in this competition is the third round. Obviously that depends very much on the draw that you get.

“I thought we were unlucky last season – the Sheffield United game turned on a refereeing decision that didn’t go our way.

“But Shortwood United shouldn’t hold any fears for us, let’s get that straight. I’m not going to sit here and say that anything other than a win on Monday night would be good enough, because it won’t be.

“Forget bringing them back here for a replay - that is far from my thoughts. I want to be nice and positive, I want my team to be get a positive vibe from the management that we are going down there to win the game.

“That is not being disrespectful to Shortwood. I think we are better than them, we are a professional outfit and we want to go there and show them that on Monday.

“It will be eleven versus eleven, 110 by 75, ninety minutes, forget the changing rooms, forget the leaving the comfort of our specialised coach with its microwave and toilet and the fact we have got to ferry our way through in mini buses.

“There are no excuses. I am not going to accept any excuses now before the game and certainly won’t accept and on Monday if the worst case scenario happens. It is eleven versus eleven, you against me, let’s see who is the best.”