Wrexham have been handed a tough trip to FC Halifax Town after the draw for the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup was made.
The men from The Racecourse, who exited the competition at this stage last season after a surprise defeat at the hands of little-known Eastwood Town, are set for another difficult away day.
Unibond North outfit Halifax Town have been in excellent form this season, winning 15 and drawing one of their 16 league and cup matches to date.
And with that in mind, Wrexham assistant boss Brian Carey is eager to eradicate the memory of the Eastwood defeat and inflict a first defeat on the Yorkshire side.
“I haven’t seen Halifax since they were in the league and when they were relegated to the Conference,” admitted Carey.
“We will get them watched though and see what they are like in the next couple of weeks and treat them with the upmost respect.
“We know from experience last year when we went to Eastwood Town. That wasn’t easy and, as I have said in the past, with football matches you can beat yourselves.
“We look forward to going there and football is great if you get on a run – and if it is in the FA Cup then great.”
Despite the two teams enjoying differing starts to the season, Carey is pleased to have been handed a kind draw for what will be Wrexham’s first involvement in the competition this year.
“It is not a bad draw,” he said. “There are no overnight stays and it is fairly local, if you can call it that with not having to travel three, four, or five hours.
“We would have liked a home draw, but we have the chance to go there and give it our best in what will be a difficult game I am sure.
“We don’t need convincing that it will be a tough game, we have learned enough lessons, and I hope everyone is learning as they go along.
“We lost to Eastwood Town who were a decent side. They ended up going on to get promotion last year and it looks like they will do the same again this year. They have a good set-up there.
“Ultimately though, it is an experience that I hope we can learn from. We know all about the dangers of slipping up when you don’t get things right.”
The man who made 304 appearances for Wrexham said the FA Cup was always a welcome distraction from the trials and tribulations of the league programme.
Wrexham currently sit 18th in the Blue Square Premier table, having won just four of their 13 matches so far this campaign, but Carey is looking for a passage through to the first round proper of the competition.
The 32 winning clubs in the fourth qualifying round will receive £12,500 from the Football Association’s prize fund and enter the next round draw alongside the 48 clubs from League One and League Two.
“There is never a problem playing in the FA Cup,” added Carey. “Some of my greatest memories of my career have been in the FA Cup, it is well documented the things we have achieved here, and it would be fantastic if we could do that again.
“Like I said it is a welcome distraction from the league programme. We will treat them with the utmost respect, but it is a winner takes all world and we are certainly going to go for it.”