Last updated at 16:16, Wednesday, 17 October 2012

BARROW AFC manager Dave Bayliss is dreaming of another fairytale FA Cup run but knows Saturday’s fourth qualifying round opponents, Tamworth, will be anything but Lambs to the slaughter.

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In both 2008/09 and 2009/10 Bayliss, who was then joint-manager alongside Darren Sheridan, guided the Bluebirds to dream third round ties at Middlesbrough and Sunderland respectively.

Now in sole charge, and assisted by former Barrow winger Ashley Hoskin, the Holker Street boss wants to lead the club on another memorable cup journey.

“We’ve had some brilliant times in the FA Cup and we want them again,” said Bayliss.

“With a little bit of luck and hard work hopefully we can get past a very good Tamworth side and into the first round proper. After that anything is possible.”

Like Barrow, who narrowly lost 2-1 against Middlesbrough and put up a brave fight versus Sunderland before going down 3-0, their Blue Square Bet Premier rivals, Tamworth, have also enjoyed FA Cup success in recent times.

Last season the Lambs reached the third round and landed a plum away tie at Everton. The Premier League outfit won 2-0 but Tamworth earned a lot of plaudits.

Barrow beat Tamworth 3-1 in September at The Lamb Ground and triumphed 4-0 on the same pitch when the two sides met in the fourth qualifying round of the 2008/09 FA Cup, but Bayliss knows those results will count for little come 3pm at Holker Street on Saturday.

“It’s going to be a really tough game, one we can win, but also one we can lose,” said the Bluebirds boss, who helped Barrow win the FA Trophy at Wembley in 2009/10.

“We know any game against any team in our league is going to be tough and Tamworth are doing very well at the moment.

“We know that on our day we can beat any team. We beat them (Tamworth) down there in the league earlier this season and are confident, but they too will fancy their chances.

“It’s going to be a tough game. A lot of teams in our league have been drawn against each other, so all we could ask for is a home draw and we got that.”

Barrow, who sit just above the relegation zone, will go into the tie unbeaten in three, having defeated Braintree and Southport, both 3-2, before sharing a goalless home draw against Dartford last weekend.

Tamworth lost 2-1 at bottom-of-the-table Hyde on Saturday but remain on the fringes of the play-offs, helped by one of the best away records in the division.

Whoever wins Saturday’s tie – or the replay on Tuesday night should it be required – will pocket £12,500 in FA prize money and, potentially, a place in the first round proper when League One clubs such as Coventry City, Portsmouth, Preston North End and Sheffield United as well as League Two teams like Bradford City, Port Vale and Gillingham enter the fray.

Last season the Bluebirds came from behind to beat Witton Albion 4-1 at Wincham Park in the fourth qualifying round, when striker Adam Boyes netted four times. That earned them a home tie against League Two outfit Rotherham United, who, in front of a 3,000-plus crowd, won 2-1 courtesy of two controversial late goals.

Bayliss said: “The FA Cup is one of those, you only enjoy it when you’re in it.

“When you get knocked out it’s horrible, you turn the television off and don’t watch the draw for the next round.

“Saturday is a big game for everyone. For finances alone, it’s massive, the chairman (Brian Keen) will tell you that.”

First published at 16:12, Wednesday, 17 October 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk