Match Preview

Ahead of Saturday's clash between two sides who have made bright starts to the 2023/24 season, Whitby Town manager Nathan Haslam believe his side need to keep "going about their business" the way they have been.

The Seasiders welcome Michael Clegg's Warrington Rylands, aiming to build on last Friday's Emirates FA Cup win at Goole, and the 4-2 league win at Ilkeston Town prior to that.

Town also learnt their FA Cup Second Qualifying Round opponents on Monday afternoon, with Prescot Cables visiting the Towbar Express Stadium @ The Turnbull Ground next Saturday.

Team news heading into Saturday's game:

"This week's rest will have done the squad a world of good. It's not just us, every team at this level will be struggling with injuries after the relentless start to the season.

"We've not got anything serious apart from Joe Wheatley who's going to be out long-term for us, we're probably looking at Christmas time for him coming back.

"Everyone else who's been missing just have little niggles and I'm hoping we'll have most people available."

On the variety of goal scorers so far this season:

"One of the criteria's moving into this season was scoring more goals. We were brilliant defensively but we just couldn't score enough goals collectively.

"We do work on a lot of stuff in training but to win football matches you've got to be able to score and it's great to have goals flowing across the team.

"I do think that, for whatever reason, this young squad are feeling a bit more added pressure at home. In the home games, we've gone behind in two of them so we need to get rid of that hoodoo and find ways of winning.

"The away form has been fantastic, perhaps because we're playing with more freedom. We're looking to put in a good performance at home against Rylands."

On facing an in-form Warrington Rylands:

"First and foremost, they've got a great manager in Michael Clegg. He's a great lad and he knows his football.

"They got thrashed by Radcliffe on the opening day but from that day they've not looked back. They've got a brilliant defensive record but they're similar to us last season where they've not scored a lot, but they're very solid.

"It's going to be a hard game but we don't fear anybody in the league. We've just got to go about our business as we have been and provided the players are on their game, we're capable of giving anyone a difficult game.

"Now we're second in the league we want to try and pull away from these teams just below us a bit while we're in form. Make no bones about it, there will be a point in the season where we do hit a bad patch because every team does it. While we're playing well we need to keep picking up the points."

On this week's Emirates FA Cup Second Qualifying Round Draw where the Seasiders will face Prescot Cables:

"I think the one thing that we wanted at this stage was a home tie, but it doesn't matter who you're against as they're all tricky games. Over previous years we've tended to have a lot of away games so hopefully we can get a nice big crowd.

"We've had 20 seasons of failure in the FA Cup, but every team wants to go as fas as they can for the obvious reasons with the finances that come in and the feel-good factor that it brings to a football club.

"We're not there to make the numbers up. We want to progress but there are lots of obstacles and challenges in the way and you need the draw to be kind to you to a point but you're always in with a chance."