FA Cup: Moore wants Hebburn Town to show right mentality in Guiseley FA Cup tie

Hebburn Town FC manager Daniel Moore has called for his players to show the right attitude when they face Guiseley in the FA Cup second qualifying round on Saturday.

The Hornets have enjoyed a positive start to their first ever season in the National League North after losing just two of their opening nine games of the campaign and they are now sitting in fifth place in the table. However, Saturday will offer an opportunity to turn their focus elsewhere are they prepare to entertain their former Northern Premier League Premier Division rivals at the Trustmark Group Stadium.

Hebburn have never reached the first round proper of the FA Cup with a run to the fourth and final qualifying round in 2011 representing their best ever run in the competition. Although a potential meeting with an EFL club is still three rounds away, Moore admitted racking up that achievement is on his list of targets as he fired a warning to his players ahead of Saturday’s’ home tie.

He told The Gazette: “It’s always been top of the agenda every year at the club but we tend to get a stinking draw. There will be no excuses. Mentally, we have to be right on Saturday, we have to prepare properly, we have to be right. It’s more of a mental thing because there aren’t many times where we haven’t been underdogs in the last few years here. Guiseley will be coming here looking to cause an upset and we have to deal with that so it will be a different way of approaching the game and they have to stand up and be counted. The players understand, for them individually and for the club, it can be a great cup competition.”

‘They were fantastic’

Hebburn go into the tie on the back of last weekend’s hard-earned home win against former Northern Premier League title rivals Hednesford Town as the Hornets made it four wins and one draw in five games on their home patch this season.

However, that only tells half of the story of last weekend’s win as Moore’s men were forced to scrap and battle their way to the points during a second-half that saw them playing in the face of strong winds on South Tyneside. Moore hailed the work-rate and ability shown by his players are both ends of the pitch and believes they showed a side of the game that will serve them well throughout the rest of what will be a long and challenging season.

He said: “The lads up top had a different role in the second-half because it was really about just getting the ball and trying to get us further up the pitch. They were fantastic with that because it showed we have a lot in our armoury and we look really solid off the ball too, which you are always going to need in any game. We are really pleased with where we are at right now.”

Moore will check on the fitness of captain Aidan Heywood before deciding whether he can be involved in Saturday’s tie.

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