Warrington Town vs. Leigh Genesis FA Cup preview

The road to Wembley might be a particularly long one, but Leigh Genesis have to travel only a little over ten miles from home on Friday night as they begin their FA Cup journey away to league rivals Warrington Town.

After suffering a 2-0 loss away to Lancaster City on Tuesday evening, Garry Flitcroft's Leigh side have had a mixed start to the season with two wins and two defeats from their opening four games, but whereas Leigh have scored six goals in those four outings, opponents Warrington have scored just twice in the same number of games, though they did claim their first win of the season on Tuesday with a 1-0 home victory over Wakefield.

Having been used to joining the FA Cup at a later stage of the competition in previous years, Leigh's UniBond League Division One status means that they find themselves in the unfamiliar position of the FA Preliminary Round, though many of their opposition won't be unfamiliar to the Leigh faithful. Maltese Under 21 international striker Richard Chetcuti was a product of the Leigh youth system and went on to score five goals in thirty nine appearances for the club between August 2007 and February 2009, while goalkeeper Richard Mottram and defender Tony Filipek, both Leigh players during 2006/2007, are also with the Cantilever Park outfit. The familiarities don't end on the field, with former Leigh stalwart James Standing now part of Town's coaching staff alongside ex-Hilton Park manager Stuart Humphreys.

With Warrington Wolves heading to Wembley for the Carnegie Challenge Cup Final against Huddersfield Giants on Saturday and Leigh Centurions hosting Halifax in a vital league fixture at the Leigh Sports Village on Monday, it's a huge weekend for local rugby league, and this has been reflected in a special offer for both Wolves and Centurions season ticket holders, who are entitled to half price admission of £3.50 each upon production of their season tickets at the turnstiles. All other adults cost £7 and concessions £4, with all under 16's able to gain admittance free of charge if accompanied by a full paying adult.

Kick off is at 7:45pm at Warrington's Cantilever Park home in the Latchford area of Warrington. Should the scores finish level after ninety minutes, a replay will take place at Chorley's Victory Park ground on Tuesday 1st September with a 7:45pm kick off. In the event of a victor being decided in the original tie, a league fixture will take place between the two sides at Victory Park on Tuesday 1st September (7:45pm).