Troubled Carlisle United look to avoid FA Cup upset against non-league Horsham

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Carlisle United hope to avoid an embarrassing FA Cup upset, with Isthmian Premier Division side Horsham making the long trip to Cumbria.

Keith Millen will step into the Brunton Park dugout for the first time since he was appointed as the new manager of the Cumbrians last week.

Millen has already made strong statements on the mentality and attitude of the football club during this difficult period with Carlisle sitting 23rd in League Two.

United faltered to yet another crushing defeat at the weekend as Northampton Town strolled to a 3-0 win thanks to a Paul Lewis hat-trick.

Carlisle United boss Millen has vowed to take the Blues’ non-league visitors seriously.

“I will pick the strongest team I have available.

“There’s no way I’d do anything different.

“I will look at what Horsham do, we’ve analysed them, we’ve had them watched and we have a number of reports on how they play.”

United are without a win in six games with their last victory coming in the Papa John’s Trophy against Everton’s under-21s.

A 3-0 away loss to Bristol Rovers at the start of October saw Chris Beech relieved of his duties and Millen has since stepped into the role in the hope that he can drag the club away from the League Two drop zone.

Brennan Dickenson is a doubt for the Blues after picking up a dead leg against the Cobblers at the weekend but the rest of the United squad are fully fit.

Carlisle faced non-league opposition in last season’s FA Cup in the shape of Southern Premier League Division South team Hayes and Yeading United.

The Middlesex-based outfit were two goals ahead going into the second half of extra-time but were denied a famous victory by Jon Mellish’s dramatic double.

Carlisle went on to win 6-5 on penalties with Gavin Reilly striking the winning spot-kick.

Horsham, like their opponents, are also struggling in the league this season with only one win leaving the Hornets 21st in the Isthmian Premier League Division.

Despite the poor league form, the Hornets have excelled in the FA Cup, reaching the First Round proper for only the fourth time in their history.

Their last appearance in the competition came in the 2007/08 season when they comfortably beat Maidenhead United 4-1 which set up a clash with then League One side Swansea City.

The Hornets held the Welsh outfit to a 1-1 draw at home before being ruthlessly eliminated 6-2 in the replay, despite taking a 20th-minute lead.

Dominic di Paola’s men have already had to come through four qualifying rounds to reach this stage with three of the stages needing replays to settle the tie.

Replay victories over Haywards Heath Town, Kingstonian and Eastbourne Borough set up a home fixture with National League team Woking.

Horsham survived the Cardinals’ onslaught before Tom Kavanagh’s well-struck free kick in the 76th minute sent their fans wild.

The Sussex-based side come into this fixture after a narrow 3-2 FA Trophy third qualifying round loss to Carshalton Athletic.

Horsham manager Di Paola certainly does not think his men will be overawed by the occasion.

“We’ve had cup finals and play-off finals down the years, and you have to take the emotion and occasion out of it and play the game.

“Once we get our game plan in place, hopefully, the boys can follow it.”

The Hornets are facing an injury crisis at the moment with some key players, especially in defensive areas, likely to miss out on Saturday’s game.

Lee Harding, Elliot Richards and Shamir Fenlon will be looking to provide the spark in the visitors’ attack, while the Hornets hope the ever-impressive Sam Howes can deny the Cumbrians at the other end of the pitch.

If Horsham are to cause an upset, it will only rapidly increase the growing animosity from the Carlisle fanbase towards the boardroom, with many supporters voicing their frustrations at recent games.

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