Buxton boss believes 3G pitch will help FA Cup bid against Morecambe

Steve Cunningham is confident the 3G pitch at Buxton will work in their favour.

Bucks boss Steve Cunningham is confident the club’s 3G pitch will give his side an advantage against Morecambe.

The League One outfit travel to the Silverlands and know they will have to overcome the raucous home fans and an unfamiliar playing surface if they wish to progress .

“The pitch is a massive advantage to us,” he said. “I don’t think any professional team would want to come and play on a 3G pitch on a cold winter’s day.

“We love it because we are used to it, we train on it, we play on it - it is home for us.

“It gives Morecambe a second thought of how they approach it. Do they want to risk their star players if league survival is their priority?

“Does it put doubt in their mind that it is not for them, and that is what we are hoping for.

“Most teams will approach it like they are playing Man United, that is how we are approaching it.”

Cunningham believes the non-leaguerers must also get their balance of play just right if they are to get their name in the hat for the third round.

“It is a catch 22 - you can either sit in and be tight, but you let them get into their stride,” he added. “A good team will punish you.

“So you can go with the mentality that we got here by playing a certain way and if we take that away from our team, do you lose what you are good at?

“We can't go gung-ho and think that we will steam roll them, there has to be a fine balance.

“We have to be organised defensively with and without the ball. We're confident our game plan will work, but we need lady luck.

“We are not going to just try and get to the 90th minute and sneak one.

“We took it to York and we have to believe in ourselves, but make sure we are sensible in our approach and do the right things when we don't have the ball.

“We always try to prepare as professionally as we can regardless of who we play.

“It is about enjoying the challenge that we are up against. They are a good side, they are a League One side.

“We are confident that if we are at our best and give an extra ten per cent per person, and Morecambe have an off day, then we can create an upset.”