This January FA Cup weekend see’s Home side Nuneaton against Premiership strugglers Middlesbrough.
Vital Quotes: Nuneaton
?I expect Darren Acton to have quite a lot of work to do – but he’s been outstanding for us so far this season,? said Ashby.
?He’s not a goalkeeper I brought to the club, he was someone I inherited from the previous manager, and at that time Darren wasn’t in the best of form.
?But in the two years I’ve been here he’s done me proud and has been in fantastic form since August.
?Come three o’clock Saturday afternoon though, he’s going to have to produce one of the best performances of his career but I hope he does that and comes off the pitch with a clean sheet.
?If he manages to do that, he’ll deserve the man-of-the-match award.
Nuneaton Team News:
Nuneaton are unbeaten in the past 13 months and will be looking to pull a shocker on Middlesbrough. They have only conceded 16 league goals this season and recorded 10 clean sheets, to Boro’s 2.
Player to watch: Darren Acton
Acton will be hoping for some luck against Middlesbrough this evening. Acton has been in great form this season for nuneaton and he will no doubt be taking the spotlight when Middlesbrough’s big name strikers come knocking on his door.
Middlesbrough Team News:
Middlesbrough go into the game two matches unbeaten and havent won home or away in seven games.
Mark Schwarzer has been dropped from the starting line up amidst his transfer request and takes his place on the bench behind Brad Jones between the sticks, Chris Riggott is doubtful having suffered a dead leg. The game comes too soon for Nemeth, Parlour, Downing and McMahon who are currently in training recovering from long term injuries. George Boateng is still a month away from a return, Queudrue is out for eight weeks and former Nuneaton player Malcolm Christie’s return is still up in the air.
Player to watch: Brad Jones
Jones will be looking to prove he has the ability to make Mark Schwarzer obsolete. It will be expected that he will have little to do, but from what he will have to do, he should be fine.
Match Facts & Squads
This is the first time in history Middlesbrough and Nuneaton have played together in a Football match.
Nuneaton’s stadium has a capacity of 6,000
Middlesbrough from:Schwarzer, Jones, Ehiogu, Bates, Southgate, Parnaby, Pogatetz, Taylor, Wheater, Morrison, Johnson, Cattermole, Doriva, Mendieta, Hasselbaink, Maccarone, Yakubu, Viduka.
Match Prediction:
Vital Middlesbrough predicts 3-0 to Middlesbrough
Mendieta, Morrison and Yakubu to score.