Spennymoor manager Jason Ainsley says that Moors must be at their very best to defeat Conference Premier visitors AFC Telford in the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup on Saturday afternoon, and reach the first round proper for the first time in 19 years.

Moors go into the game having won their last seven league, FA Cup and FA Trophy matches, and there’s the possibility of them pulling off a giantkilling against Telford, who are bottom of the Conference with only two wins all season.

But as usual, Ainsley isn’t getting carried away by the occasion and the incentive of a first round place against one of the big boys, and has his feet firmly on the ground.

“Let’s be honest, we’ve got to be at our very best, and Telford must have an off day if we’re going through to the next round,” he said. “They’re three leagues above us, there are 51 places between us in the national system. We’ve studied reports on them, plus we’ve looked at DVDs of them in their last two matches. Only last Saturday they had a great result away at Woking.

“All of our players must produce a 9 out of 10 performance, hopefully at least one of them will produce a matchwinning 10 out of 10 performance. Our keeper, Adam McHugh, must have a good game, because he is going to be busy. Maybe it will be somebody like Andrew Stephenson who could be our matchwinner, because in the past he has shown that he can be one.

“But to use the cliché, we’re going into the game without any pressure at all. At least we have home advantage, and we have a good opportunity to upset the odds. It’s happened in the past when a team has beaten their more illustrious opponents.”

Ainsley is hoping that there will be a 1000 plus crowd inside the Brewery Field as Moors try to reach the competition proper for the first time since they beat Lancaster City in 1995 by a single goal, and set up an away game at Colwyn Bay, which they subsequently lost 1-0. The season before that, they beat Accrington Stanley in the last qualifying round and then lost to Wigan Athletic on their old Springfield Park ground on a wet and windy day.

“It’s a great day for everyone involved with the club, especially for our chairman Brad Groves, who has done so much for us. The game ticks another box in the history of this club, particularly over the last nine years. After 90 minutes, we can create another little piece of history.

“The support of the fans can make a big difference today. We want them to make as much noise as possible to help us. It is a great incentive to think that the winners of today’s game could play somebody like Sheffield United or Portsmouth. But we mustn’t run before we walk.”

Telford include an international in their ranks – keeper Freddy Hall, who signed for them before the away win at Woking last Saturday, has six caps for Bermuda.

Telford are currently bottom of the Conference, but won their first away game of the season last Saturday at third placed Woking. They were promoted last season from Conference North through the play offs.

They also have one of the best ever FA Cup records for a non league club, under the club’s two identities, they have reached the first round proper on 22 occasions, and in 1985 reached the fifth round, losing 3-0 at Everton.

They have also been through administration, and when AFC Telford was started following the demise of Telford United, they were told that they had to begin life in the EvoStik First Division in 2004.