STRIKER Gareth Taylor is relishing the chance to renew acquaintances with Southport after the draw for the FA Cup fourth qualifying round was made.
Taylor made his first home start of the season as Southport visited The Racecourse last month and he marked the occasion with a goal as Dean Saunders’ side ran out 2-1 winners.
And after taking three points from the newly promoted Sandgrounders, Taylor is keen to dump them out of the historic competition and help Wrexham progress.
“We had a decent game against them in the league,” he explained. “We won 2-1 but I think the scoreline flattered them a bit, we played some good football and it was nice to get a goal on my return to the team.
“It helped set us off on a bit of a run.”
Wrexham’s tie with Southport is one of six all-Conference ties, but the 37-year-old is unconcerned with the nature of the opposition, and he said: “I am pleased with a home draw, that is the important thing.
“You don’t mind who it is against if you are at home. We played Swindon last season and we were the better team on the day and we should have won, or at least got a replay.
“But it is important to get through the early rounds first.”
And Taylor is no stranger to an FA Cup run, the former Wales international having played alongside manager Dean Saunders for Sheffield United in the semi-finals against Newcastle.
Taylor also reached the last eight of the competition as a Burnley player, losing to Watford 2-0 in 2003, and is familiar with the benefits a good cup run can have on league form.
“The further you got in the competition the more excitement builds around the club,” he said.
“Even in the earlier rounds there is a buzz and to play in the semi-finals was great.
“We lost 1-0 to an Alan Shearer goal and that flattered us on the day.”
Talking about the disappointment of Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to AFC Wimbledon, Taylor added: “It was a shame on Saturday. We totally dominated the match and we are all disappointed but we are still in the mix.
“There were positives to come out of the game, the performance was very good, we played some good football and the fans applauded us off the pitch.
“You don’t always have fans applauding when you lose but they could see how well we played. They have been great for us all season.
“We have two away games coming up against Hayes and Yeading and then Histon and we need to get back on track against them.
“Saying that, they both picked up wins at the weekend and there are no easy games in this division.”
Meanwhile, Wrexham boss Saunders admitted that the FA Cup draw could have been better for his side.
Saunders netted two goals en-route to winning the trophy with Liverpool in 1992 and holds the competition in high-esteem: “I really look forward to the Cup, it’s one of the highlights of the year,” he said.
“Having said that, I don’t think either Southport or ourselves will be over excited at the prospect of meeting each other again, especially so soon after our recent BSP encounter.
“It’ll be a tough game for both teams, but one that should be exciting for the fans.
“If I’m being honest, you do hope for a little easier tie to get you started, but we may have thought that when Eastwood came out of the hat two years ago.
“All clubs want a decent run in the FA Cup. It’s exciting to think you could progress far enough to face one of the big boys and it can also be a financial boost.
“Fans and players all love being involved, so let’s see if we can make a name for ourselves this year.”
The tie is due to be played on Saturday, October 23. Should the game need a replay it will be played in the following midweek ahead of the first round proper on November 6.