Preview Report:

North Ferriby VS West Auckland Town FC

FA Vase: North Ferriby v West Auckland preview

North Ferriby are once again in Buildbase FA Vase action this week with the visit of Northern League side West Auckland to the Dransfield Stadium with a 12.30 p.m. kick off. Unfortunately due to Covid restrictions this, like all Ferriby’s games at the moment, will be played behind closed doors.

Ferriby go into this game on the back of last week’s late win over another Northern League side Seaham Red Star thanks to a late Joel Shortland goal. The game had to be replayed with Ferriby previously beating Red Star 7-6 on penalties thanks to Jordan Douglas’s heroics back in December. 

West Auckland, the former Sir Thomas Lipton World Cup winners, travel to the Dransfield having had their own season, like Ferriby, curtailed by the pandemic. They were in 11th place in the same Division One as Seaham and had won two and drawn one of their last five games.

North Ferriby manager Chris Bolder is well aware of the enormity of the task ahead as the club strive for a place in the quarter finals. However the manager is fully aware of the quality of the opposition and certainly sees his side as underdogs going into the tie.

“I know they will be a very good side as they have players who have played at a much higher level for the likes of Darlington,

South Shields and Scarborough so I certainly think we will go into this game as the underdogs,” said Bolder. 

“We know what to expect as Seaham were in the same division so West Auckland will be a tough and uncompromising outfit but one who haven’t, like us, played a lot of football lately. It will be difficult but as we have said many times on our day we are up there with the best.

“How we played against Seaham saw a real drive and determination because we knew it was knock out football and we had no league season to fall back on. We had to gain a victory as we were determined for the season to carry on so we are a strong group and putting the work in to make sure we get through to the next round.”

The good thing for Bolder is he has a fully fit squad to choose from with Iwan Heeley back from his enforced suspension of last week. Recent signing Danny Clarke is also available but there is no place for Tyler Hamilton who is serving the final game of a ban picked up playing for Gainsborough Trinity last season and Leigh Hutchinson who has left the club.