BURY Town will be looking to take the scalp of a higher level opponent for the third time this season when they host Bedford Town today in the FA Cup.

Stuart Watson

Confident Bury now

face Bedford test

By Stuart Watson

BURY Town will be looking to take the scalp of a higher level opponent for the third time this season when they host Bedford Town today in the FA Cup.

The step four Suffolk club have already despatched step three clubs King's Lynn and Matlock Town (both Unibond League Premier Division) on their way to the Third Qualifying Round - and they stand a chance again today.

Richard Wilkins' team are currently ninth in the Zamaretto League Division One Midlands, while their visitors are 14th in the same league's Premier Division.

“We take confidence from the last two ties, but we also know we will be up against it again,” said Wilkins.

“We know we can compete against teams from a level above on a regular basis because we've proved it in the last couple of years in cup competitions.

“The most important thing for us therefore is to get promoted this season so that we can pit our wits against the likes of King's Lynn and Bedford every week.”

Today's Third Round Qualifying winners will not only pocket �7,500, but will also be just one win away from reaching the First Round Proper and the chance of drawing a Football League club.

Bury will be without Russell Short today (broken leg), but hope to have former Ipswich player Gavin Johnson fit again after he missed the last two matches with tonsillitis.

The only other Suffolk club that remains in the competition is Lowestoft Town who host Sutton Coldfield Town today.

Both clubs play at step four of the non-league pyramid, but the Trawler Boys - who top the Ryman League Division One North following their promotion from the Ridgeons League - will be favourites against a West Midlands outfit who are currently 16th in the Zamaretto League Division One Midlands.

The Blues could hand a debut to new signing Gary Holt after the 36-year-old former Scotland international joined the club during the week.

The defensive midfielder was signed as a player-coach for League One club Colchester United in the summer, but decided to move on after Paul Lambert left the Essex club to take over Norwich.

Holt, who worked with Lowestoft fitness coach Dave Carolan at Colchester, has been training with the Canaries in recent weeks, a club who also have close ties with Lowestoft.

Micky Chapman and Ady Gallagher's side have so far beaten Great Yarmouth (step six), Dereham (step five) and Boston United (step four) to reach this stage of the competition.

They have lost just once at Crown Meadow this season, while Sutton Coldfield are yet to win an away game in the league.