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PREVIEW | Rossington Main (H)


A place in the quarter-finals of the NCEL League Cup is up for grabs on Tuesday night as AFC entertain Division One outfit Rossington Main.


Matt Chatfield's men host the Main for a 7:45pm kick-off at the Forest Town Arena.


The Bulls beat Maltby Main on penalties in the third round of the cup competition back in November.


After goals from Luke Walker and Brandon Webster put AFC in control, their South Yorkshire hosts came back from 2-0 down to force a shoot-out with two quickfire finishes from Sam Liversidge and now-Bulls striker Gavin King, but Ross Duggan slotted home the winning spot-kick against his former club.



Chatfield's side hope to reach the final for the second time in two League Cup campaigns, after the Bulls beat Bridlington Town 4-2 to reach the 2018 Bramall Lane final.


But the fixture never took place, as AFC's opponents Liversedge were expelled from the competition.

 

Last Time Out


AFC responded well to a 2-1 defeat to relegation rivals Bottesford by holding free-scoring promotion hunters Liversedge to a draw at the Clayborn Ground on Saturday.


Superb defending from the Bulls back line denied Sedge from taking the lead on countless occasions, including goal-line clearances from Jordan Annable and Mansfield Town loanee Kian Sketchley.


The Bulls looked to catch their hosts on the break and earned a shock lead with just ten minutes remaining when top-scorer Ross Duggan buried his 29th of the season to complete a lightning counter-attack.


The hosts continued to press and eventually breached the resilient AFC defence when Mark Simpson nodded a corner home at the back post on the verge of injury time, but the Bulls retained a valuable point on the road.

 

The Opposition


Tuesday night's visitors have had a quiet season so far in their NCEL Division One campaign, currently sitting in 14th position with 16 league fixtures left to play whilst their Buildbase FA Vase hopes were short-lived with defeat to North West Counties Premier Division side Rylands in the second qualifying round.


But the Main have enjoyed a League Cup campaign full of goals, thrashing Glasshoughton Welfare 6-2 in the first round before a second round bye handed them a visit to Premier Division side Athersley Recreation in the third stage.


At Sheerien Park they shocked their higher-league hosts with a brutal and clinical display, putting five past the Penguins without reply to set up Tuesday night's clash with the Bulls.


The Main's last visit to the Forest Town Arena saw a 1-1 Division One stalemate in August 2015, before the Bulls won 3-2 in the reverse fixture in the two sides' most recent meeting four months later.

 

Team News


Club captain Phil Buxton will serve the final of his three-match suspension on Tuesday night after a red card at Yorkshire Amateur saw the midfielder sidelined from action.

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