PREVIEW - STAINES (A)

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27 November 2009

MILLWALL COULD become one of the first names in the hat for the third round of this year's FA Cup if they overcome non-league Staines Town on Saturday afternoon.

After much deliberation and debate as to whether the Surrey side's Wheatsheaf Park stadium is fit to host the tie, the decision was taken to move the fixture to a 1.30 kick-off, with the Swans' ground getting the nod instead of moving the match to other, larger nearby venues.

The Lions' entire 700-ticket allocation - a figure well above the 450 the club were entitled to under FA rules - sold out within hours of going on sale on Saturday morning, with the home side also likely to sell out by Saturday.

And, having erected temporary terracing at Wheatsheaf Park, the 3,000-capacity venue will be jam-packed, as home fans hope for their second giant-killing of this year's cup campaign.

The Blue Square South side defeated Shrewsbury Town, challenging for a play-off position in League Two, in the first round, as Ali Chaaban - christened 'Ali C' - scored a first-half winner at the Shrews' New Meadow ground.

And that historical win isn't the Swans' only pedigree in the cup. Two seasons earlier, in 2007, they overcame another League Two side in Stockport County in the first round: after drawing 1-1 at Edgeley Park and in the replay
at Wheatsheaf Park, the Swans were victorious on penalties.

That set up a home tie against Darren Ferguson's Peterborough United, who later that season would win the first of two successive promotions, though this time there was to be no giant-killing, as Craig Mackail-Smith scored four times in a 5-0 win for the visitors.

Millwall's history against non-league sides is mixed. The Lions survived such matches in the last couple of years with little trouble: they beat AFC Wimbledon 4-1 just over a fortnight ago, overcame a tricky trip to Altrincham in 2007 and saw off Havant & Waterlooville at Fratton Park a season earlier. Further back, the Lions won 2-0 in a rearranged fourth round match at now-defunct Telford United on their way to the FA Cup final in 2004 and beat another obsolete side, Leigh RMI, 3-0 in an 'away' first round tie played at the Den in 2000.

A few years earlier, though, Millwall were beaten in front of the TV cameras in a first-round replay at Conference side Woking as Clive Walker's goal earned his side a 1-0 win and one of the biggest cup shocks of that year and a result that lives long in the memories of more-pessimistic Lions fans.

Among the Swans ranks on Saturday will be striker Scott Taylor, himself a League Cup hero with the Lions. Taylor, back at the club from whom the Lions signed him 14 years ago, scored twice - his only goals for the club - to knock Premier League Everton out in 1994, aged just 19.

Kenny Jackett will hope to add a new striker to his ranks this week, but any new arrival will need permission from his parent club to feature in this weekend's cup tie. If that is not granted, Jackett is likely to make just the one change to the team that drew 1-1 with Exeter on Monday, bringing in Alan Dunne for the injured Jack Smith.

Staines (expected): Wells; Jackson, Sterling, Gordon, Ifura; Scarlett, Newton, Risbridger, Chaaban; Griffiths, Taylor.

Millwall (expected): Forde; Dunne, Robinson, Ward, Frampton; Abdou, Laird, Schofield; Hackett, Morison, Martin.

Place your bets: Swans to force a surprise replay with 1-1 draw (6/1)

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