FA Cup home draw incentive for United

NOT QUITE the money-spinning draw that they were hoping for, but at least Torquay United will be at home in the Third Round of the FA Cup — if they can beat Stockport County in next Tuesday night's rearranged tie at Edgeley Park.

Two years after they lost 2-0 to Brighton & Hove Albion in the Second Round at Plainmoor, United and the Seagulls were paired together again on January 2.

But after Saturday's original tie at Stockport was called off because referee Geoff Eltringham ruled that the Edgeley pitch was waterlogged, everything is on hold until the outcome of next Tuesday's match.

The Tyne & Wear official said: "We had a football on the field, and it wouldn't run more than four or five yards.

"It's far too dangerous for players to commit themselves 100 per cent.

"First and foremost it's the players' safety, and then you look at things like the game as a spectacle."

Before the 'replay' United have two important League Two games to play — at home to Cheltenham Town tomorrow night and away to Accrington Stanley on Saturday.

And those matches are uppermost in manager Paul Buckle's mind.

"Even if we'd drawn Manchester United, the most important game for us would have been Cheltenham at home," he said.

"It's exciting for us and fans to be sitting waiting for our name to come out of the draw.

"And we're at home again if we beat Stockport, which is great.

"But the only game that counts is the next one, and that's Cheltenham in the league."

When United were sent to Stockport, it was the first time that they had been drawn away from Plainmoor in eight ties.

So Gulls fans can hardly be disappointed at the prospect of another tie on home soil.

United had already knocked out League One Yeovil Town 4-1 in a live TV tie at Plainmoor in November 2007 when Brighton came here three weeks later.

Two second-half goals by Nicky Forster won that tie.

Now Brighton, who beat Blue Square Premier side Rushden & Diamonds 3-2 on Saturday, have a new manager in Gus Poyet to lead their fight to pull away from the League One relegation zone.

At the weekend, alarm-bells started ringing about the prospects for the Stockport v Torquay match when the Sale v Wasps rugby union game was postponed on Friday night.

Sale effectively own the ground, with Stockport as tenants.

Wasps refused to play their Guinness Premiership fixture because they claimed that the heavy rain had rendered the pitch, especially in one area in front of the old Grandstand, dangerous for their forwards to pack down.

There was more rain on Friday night, and referee Eltringham called off the Cup-tie after a mid-morning inspection.

The United team coach headed straight back down the M6 as soon as the news of the postponement came through.

Buckle ordered his players in for an unscheduled, and muddy, training session at Newton Abbot Racecourse yesterday morning.

"The staff did well to find us a decent area to train on, and the lads got stuck in well," said Buckle.

"Everyone is focused on Cheltenham, and nothing else."

United's Devon neighbours Exeter City are already out of the Cup, after losing a 3-1 lead in a 4-3 defeat away to League One rivals MK Dons.

But Plymouth Argyle have a tasty draw in Round Three — the Pilgrims will meet Championship leaders Newcastle United at Home Park.