19th November 1999 

Cup preview

Ritchie looks for quick cup `kill'

ATHLETIC will be aiming to kill off Swansea at the first attempt tomorrow when FA Cup action returns to Boundary Park. The Welshmen — renowned for their cup heroics and with one of the tightest defences in the third division — would be delighted with a replay at Vetch Field. But Athletic are determined to finish the job on their own ground and go straight into the hat for round three. 

They had a plum home draw against Chelsea last year and will have fingers crossed for another much-needed money-spinner. At a time when fixtures are coming thick and fast, manager Andy Ritchie also wants to avoid another long and arduous away trip. Ritchie said: "We know it will be a very hard game, but it's important that we get it over with tomorrow. I don't want to be messing about with replays — there are enough games coming up already." Ritchie's positive approach may tempt him to risk Matthew Tipton at wing-back in place of the injured Neil Adams. Tipton — a striker by trade — has often played out wide this season and would have plenty of cover from the defenders behind him. 

But it is more likely that Paul Rickers or Scott McNiven will fill the gap on the right-hand side. Rickers could switch from midfield, creating a space for either Tipton, Mark Innes or the untried Danny Walsh. A move is possible for McNiven now that Richard Graham and Shaun Garnett are fit to play at centre-back. Craig Dudley can also play on the right, but his current form rules out a switch from the frontline. 

ATHLETIC (from): Kelly, S McNiven, Holt, Graham, Hotte, Garnett, Futcher, Rickers, Duxbury, Sheridan, Innes, Walsh, Tipton, Dudley, Allott, Whitehall, Miskelly. Swansea manager John Hollins could make changes for the second-round tie, with striker Julian Alsop pushing for a recall. There may also be a place for Martin Thomas, a midfield man who often saves his best form for the FA Cup.

SWANSEA (from): Freestone, Jones, Price, Smith, Bound, Howard, Appleby, Cusack, M Thomas, Lacey, Coates, Watkin, Boyd, Alsop, Jenkins, Casey, J Thomas, Jones.

Calypso kid aims to leave Latics in limbo

Boyd sets his sights on FA Cup glory

FROM Jamaica to Oldham via South Wales, World Cup star Walter Boyd could be the biggest threat to Athletic in tomorrow’s FA Cup clash at Boundary Park. Boyd was one of the famous Reggae Boyz of France 98 and left the Caribbean last month to sign for Swansea City. He is everything the stereotype demands — fast, flamboyant, skilful and a regular wearer of colourful boots. And he announced his arrival with an extravagant promise to the Vetch Field fans. “What’s the highest number of goals anyone has scored here in a season?” the striker asked. When the reply came back as 35, Boyd simply asked for the number 35 shirt and declared: “I’ll beat it.” So far, it’s three down, 33 to go. But, having pulled off the coup of signing him, Swans manager John Hollins believes Boyd can leave a deep impression on English football. “He is an exciting player,” Hollins said. “And the better we play, the more exciting he becomes. “He is getting to know everyone and getting a feel of the place. It was a brave decision to come and he has responded tremendously. “I’m not sure whether it was fortunate or unfortunate that he scored two goals in his first game and another in his second. “He was setting himself quite a target there and people tend to sit back and expect him to do it again. “But he has acclimatised very well — he just puts his gloves on if he needs to — and he is always raring to go.”

While it’s a fair bet that Boyd will be donning his woolly mittens at Boundary Park tomorrow, an even greater certainty is that Swansea will be undaunted by their second-round challenge. The third division side acquired a taste for FA Cup glory last season and now fancy their chances of a repeat. Last year, they started off with victories over Millwall and Stoke City. In the third round, it took an 87th-minute equaliser to stop them beating West Ham at Upton Park. Refusing to be disheartened, the Welshmen deservedly won the replay 1-0 to pull off one of the shock results of the season. They then bowed out by a single goal against Premiership club Derby, but launched another crusade in this year’s competition by grabbing a last-ditch winner at home Colchester. In the league, they reached last season’s play-off semi-finals, only to be beaten in extra time by eventual winners Scunthorpe. They currently stand in a modest 13th place, largely due to a poor goalscoring record. Hollins is now coming under pressure to improve matters and, after Tuesday’s 0-0 home draw with Cheltenham, his side were booed off the field. But the former Chelsea boss, who is in his second year in charge, says things aren’t as bad as they seem. “We’re a bit up and down in the league,” he conceded. “But if you look at our last seven games in all competitions, we’ve only lost one. “You have to think that’s progress, especially when you have a lot of fairly young guys in your squad. “The league is the most important thing, of course, and what I most want to see is a division with my team in the top two or three. “We do tend to raise ourselves in the cup, though. It’s just something that’s in the blood and gets everybody stirred up.” As well as Boyd’s dash of Jamaican spice, the Swansea forward line could feature 6ft 5ins Julian Alsop and ex-Wrexham hitman Steve Watkin. Former Leicester, Motherwell and Fulham player Nick Cusack runs them from midfield, while Matthew Bound — signed from Stockport County — is a key man at the heart of defence.

Hollins expects a close-fought contest and happily admits that a draw would suit him fine. But he added: “Just like Andy Ritchie, I want my team to play football and make this a good cup tie. “I’d be absolutely delighted to reach the third round and we’ll be doing our utmost to get past Oldham and fulfill that dream.”