Sixth-tier side Curzon Ashton will be hoping to upset League One team Mansfield Town when they host them on Sunday in the first round of the FA Cup at Tameside Stadium.
The home side are fourth in the National League North with 26 points from 13 matches and occupy a promotion playoff spot, while the third-tier visitors are fourth in League One with 24 points after 12 games and beat Newcastle United Under-21s 3-0 on Tuesday in the EFL Trophy.
Match preview
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Curzon are only two points from first-placed Scunthorpe United, who occupy the National League North's only automatic promotion spot, but they do have a game in hand on the league leaders.
The home side are in excellent form having won eight of their last 10 games, keeping seven clean sheets in that period.
Manager Craig Mahon has said in the build-up to the match that his side will give everything to try to cause an upset on Sunday, saying that he hopes to make his family proud.
Mahon's side reached the first round of the FA Cup after winning three preliminary qualification matches, including a 1-0 victory against King's Lynn Town on October 12.
Sunday's match will be the third consecutive time that Curzon have reached the first round of the FA Cup, and the club were eliminated 1-0 by Barnet at the same stage last season in November 2023.
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The visitors come into the clash with confidence given they also drew their last league game 1-1 on October 26 with Birmingham City, who spent a League One record £25m in the summer.
Mansfield have scored 20 goals and conceded on 14 occasions in the league, and this makes them the division's joint ninth-best offensive and joint seventh-best defensive team.
Boss Nigel Clough, who has been in charge since November 2020, suggested that his team could have beaten Birmingham considering the chances that they created in the final stages of the match.
Clough's side have won six of their eight most recent matches, keeping four clean sheets and not conceding more than once in any game during that period.
Mansfield have also won their last three away fixtures, though it should be noted that the visitors were knocked out in the first round of the FA Cup last season by Wrexham in November 2023.
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Team News
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The hosts could name a similar starting XI to the side that beat Chester 4-0 on October 26, so expect Bobby Jones to start in goal, protected by a back four consisting of Jordan Richards, Marcus Poscha, Devon Matthews and William Hayhurst.
Isaac Sinclair, Adam Barton, Stefan Mols and Isaac Buckley-Ricketts could start in a midfield four for Curzon, while James Spencer and George Waring may start up front.
As for the visitors, they will likely name a strong starting lineup in order to avoid a shock defeat, so Scott Flinders may be shielded in goal by centre-backs Jordan Bowery, Adedeji Oshilaja and Aden Flint.
Hiram Boateng may feature in a double pivot alongside Keanu Baccus, while Aaron Lewis may start in an attacking role behind strikers Will Evans and Lee Gregory.
Curzon Ashton possible starting lineup:
Jones; Richards, Poscha, Mathews, Hayhurst; Sinclair, Barton, Mols, Buckley-Ricketts; Spencer, Waring
Mansfield Town possible starting lineup:
Flinders; Bowery, Oshilaja, Flint; Hewitt, Boateng, Baccus, McLaughlin; Lewis; Evans, Gregory
We say: Curzon Ashton 1-3 Mansfield Town
Given the calibre of opposition, it is difficult to see how Curzon can progress into the next round of the FA Cup.
Additionally, Mansfield have been one of League One's strongest sides this season, and it would not be surprising if they emerged victorious on Sunday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Lewis Nolan
