FC United travel to Stourbridge aiming for perfect 10

FC United travel to Stourbridge on Saturday for our first ever encounter with the West Midlands club for what promises to be a fantastic occasion.

The Reds have risen to fourth place in the Evo-Stik Premier Division and are unbeaten in our last nine matches from normal play ie not counting the penalty shootout defeat to Curzon Ashton. As such, Karl Marginson’s side will be looking to make it ten consecutive matches without defeat this weekend.

Stourbridge are currently13th and seven points behind FC United. However, the Glassboys - as they are known due to the town’s historical industry of glass cutting - have four games in hand.

The Glassboys have won six of their last nine matches and should provide a really strong test for FC United at the War Memorial Athletic Ground. Just like United, Stourbridge have narrowly missed out on promotion to the Conference level six for the last two years.

Last year, the West Midlands club finished fifth in the Evo-Stik Southern Premier Division and the season before they were second. Both times they suffered defeat in the play-off semi-finals.

This seaon, Stourbridge made a good start to the campaign but due to cup runs and postponements they have slipped down the table.

Established in 1876, the club are no strangers to the big occasion either, having made the first round proper of the FA Cup in 2009 and going one better in 2011 when they claimed the scalp of Plymouth Argyle. The Glassboys’ reward was a home time against Stevenage, which unfortunately they lost 3-0.

Looking ahead to Saturday’s match, FC United will sweat on the fitness of goalkeeper David Carnell, who had kept seven clean sheets in his last eight appearances, but missed Tuesday’s victory over Frickley with a muscle strain.

Winger Craig Lindfield will be available for two more games before serving a one match ban for his midweek sending off, as will David Birch, who collected his fifth yellow card of the season against Frickley.

Stourbridge versus FC United of Manchester is this Saturday with the traditional kick-off time of three o’clock. It’s pay on the gate as usual, so get yourself to that football ground.