- Team setup: Mulbarton are set up to get into a scrappy match with 4-4-2 and Gloucester's energetic style will try to turn this into a high-tempo cup game.
- League position: Mulbarton are around 14th-15th in the Isthmian League Division One North on around 9 points from their first 6 games.
- Form snapshot: Gloucester are near the lower end of the Southern League Premier South table on around 6-7 points from their opening 6-8 games.
A cup game, a classic cup matchup
Mulbarton Wanderers and Gloucester City FC square off in a FA Cup qualifier on Saturday and it is a new fixture between the teams, so there's nothing but hard-work and a clean slate between these teams.
Ben Thompson and Danny Self have set up Mulbarton to get into a tight, scrappy game with their 4-4-2 system, which is a setup that is based around getting men behind the ball and hurting the opposition with set pieces.
Mulbarton have won two and lost three of their last five competitive matches, but they have kept two shutouts in that time, with their two wins coming in cup games in which they shut their opposition out, 3-0 and 2-0.
Gloucester are coming into this in fine form, winning four of their last five matches in all competitions, which is a run that includes three clean sheets.
Gloucester attack
- Tom Owen-Evans has been a live wire for The Tigers, running at defences from midfield and popping up with goals.
- Dafydd Williams' side are full of energy, they're quick in the transition, and they're capable of getting the pace of the game up, but they can also slow it down when it suits them.
- Gloucester can win games in a multitude of ways with the proven finishing of Ashley Hemmings, the pace of Josh Keyes and the aerial threat of Harry Williams.
Mulbarton response
For Mulbarton, Ashley Jarvis is in red-hot form, having bagged a brace against Woodford Town in their replay, and they have the extra firepower of Sam Churchill if they need it.
The home side will look to make a game like this as tight as possible, but they can get caught out in transition and goalkeeper Tom Wright and the defenders will need to stay locked in after a slight wobble of form in the league.
There's enough going for Mulbarton to back them for a win at 3.22, especially after the heroics of the hosts in the last round and with the home crowd behind them. The odds on over 2.5 goals at 1.73 are decent enough, but in a knockout game like this one, Both Teams to Score – No looks more likely at 2.23, as I can see one side getting shut out.
