RAMSBOTTOM United host Bacup Borough in the pick of the ties in the FA Vase first round tomorrow.

The Rams will be looking for a repeat of last month’s scoreline when they won 3-0 at West View, with Anthony Johnson, Lee Connell and Matthew Edgington grabbing the goals.

And they are looking to extend their unbeaten run after seeing off Nelson 3-2 in midweek in the LFA Trophy.

In fact, the Rams have only lost one game in the last six.

They are likely to be without four key players and maybe a fifth due to injury, suspension or unavailability. Former Bacup player John Robinson departed on Wednesday for a family holiday while Lee Connell (toe) is out through injury. Co-manager Bernard Morley is in the middle of an FA-imposed five-match ban following a yellow card he received in Sunday League football while Kieran Fletcher sits out his last match after his red at Maine Road in the FA Cup.

Matt Edgington's calf is hopeful to be fit having missed the last couple of weeks and he will undertake a fitness test to check his availability.

Morley said: “This is our biggest game of the season. “We have not had much football over the last week or so and have slipped down the league as we haven't played and now have some five games in hand on some teams. “In the meantime, Bacup have picked themselves up and won four of their last five so will come into this game with some form (although they did lose in the LFA Trophy on Tuesday night).

“We know we are capable of beating them as we showed at their place in the league. "But this is the sort of game that is not particularly enjoyable as a manager as it would be a supporter as we don't want to be knocked out of a national cup competition by our biggest local rivals.”