Southport v Chester FC: Everything you need to know

Who's playing?

Southport v Chester FC – FA Cup fourth qualifying round.

When and where?

Saturday, October 15 (3pm) at the Merseyrail Community Stadium, Haig Avenue, Southport, PR8 6JZ.

Any team news?

Blues boss Jon McCarthy is hoping to have Tom Shaw back and available for selection after the central midfielder missed the 1-0 win over Torquay United through injury.

Blaine Hudson and Evan Horwood are now back fit but the performances of the Chester defence in recent games in their absence may mean they have to contend with a place on the bench.

The Blues are also hoping to complete the signing of a new goalkeeper in time for the trip to the Sandgrounders but any new addition will be on the bench for the clash.

Tell me about Southport...

It has been a season of misery thus far for the Sandgrounders.

Andy Bishop left the club last month with them floundering towards the bottom of the National League and in came ex-Chester boss Steve Burr as his replacement.

The Sandgrounders have won just once under Burr – a 1-0 win over North Ferriby United – and have lost their last three games in the National League, with the latest defeat coming against lowly Gateshead last weekend.

There are some familiar faces in the Southport side with ex-Blues full-backs Ryan Higgins and Neil Ashton and former loanee James Caton among the Sandgrounders likely to feature this weekend.

Action from Chester FC 0 Southport 0: This attempt from Ross Hannah was saved (Image: Terry Marland)

What has Jon McCarthy had to say about it?

“The FA Cup is strange,” he said.

“You have to be prepared for something different. It can throw it your way from nothing or it can be really cruel and take it away. We have to be ready for anything we have ever seen.

"He (Burr) knows an awful lot about our players so I will have to throw something different into the mix.”

“I have the utmost respect for him and everything he has done for me. I have learnt so much from him and some of what I do, with my own spin, has been learnt from him.

“But I’ll be professional about it make sure this group carries on. But I know how important this result is to the football club and what it can mean to the club to get to the next round."

What happened the last time we met?

The Blues and the Sandgrounders played out a 0-0 draw when the sides met at the Lookers Vauxhall Stadium back in January.

Southport arrived unbeaten in six under the management of Dino Maamria and went close through Luke Foster while Ross Hannah wasted Chester's best chance from close range in the second half.