DANNY Cowley says Concord Rangers will have to "climb a mountain" to defeat Mansfield Town in the FA Cup tonight.

The Beachboys travel to League Two side tonight, 10 days after the scheduled tie was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, with the news only filtering through to the team bus as it was pulling into Field Mill.

The match has been dubbed the biggest in Concord’s history, with this their first appearance in the first round of the competition.

A win would set up a second round tie at another League Two outfit, Cambridge Town, on the weekend of December 6/7.

And Cowley says his team will have to put in a monumental effort to overcome Mansfield and book their place in round two.

“This is the biggest opportunity the club has had in my time here,” said Cowley.

“So many people have worked so hard to get us to this point. I want to win this match for those guys – people like Albert (Lant – founder) and Antony Smith (chairman) and so many more.

“And the players have put so much into it, it would be a just reward for them.”

The match comes three days after Concord extended their impressive run in league and cup to only one defeat in 14 games. They drew 1-1 with Conference South leaders Boreham Wood and Cowley said keeping that run going was important ahead of the FA Cup clash.

“We may have only taken a point from the match but we take huge confidence from the result and we are in a good place heading into this game,” he said.

“We have a hard working group and they are a credit to the football club. I had no doubt we would find the level of performance against Boreham Wood and we have to push on now.”

Cowley was full of praise for debutant Josh Vickers, and also commended Cheye Alexander, making his first league start, and the returning Jordan Chiedozie, who netted the equaliser.

“How Josh Vickers is only 18 is beyond me,” he said. “He looks 28 and plays like he is 28 but he will go onto play at the very highest level.

“Cheye has been knocking on the door for a while and Jordan can be anything he wants to be he has such ability.”

Both Alexander and Chiedozie are in contention to start against the Stags tonight, with the match kicking off at 7:45pm.

l Concord will host Conference South leaders Boreham Wood in the FA Trophy Third Qualifying Round.

The match will be a repeat of Saturday’s 1-1 draw at the Aspect Arena, with the winner pocketing £4,000. It will be played on Saturday, November 29.

 

CONCORD Rangers will come up against a familiar face when they travel to Mansfield Town tonight.

Ryan Tafazolli played for the Beachboys in the 2011/12 season before the defender joined Cambridge City and later Mansfield and has become a key cog in their side.

He returned to the starting eleven in Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Shrewsbury Town and impressed although they will be without midfielder Jamie McGuire, who was sent off in the weekend reverse.

Keiron Freeman is another who will miss the game, after he was denied permission to play by parent-club Derby County.

And Mansfield manager Paul Cox believes the Concord game is the perfect match for the Stags to get their season back on track, having not won in their last eight games.

“There have been quite a number of giant killings and you can’t underestimating the lower leagues and non-league football. Concord will have good players who for one reason or another have played Football League and dropped down or who aspire to play in the Football League.

“It will be a tough game and we will have to earn the right to win it. I think they will be looking at us and saying this is a game we can get our teeth into.

“We need to put the last seven to nine weeks, with a lack of bodies, behind us and I see this as a good chance to win a football match.”