- AFC Rushden And Diamonds have won 3 games in a row, including 2 FA Cup Qualification wins in succession.
- Morecambe have won 1, drawn 1 and lost 3 of their last 5 away games, conceding 7 goals (1.40 per game on average).
- AFC Rushden And Diamonds have won 3 of their 4 home matches, losing the other.
Home advantage should help Rushden in cup clash
AFC Rushden And Diamonds have had a mixed bag of a season, with 5 wins and 5 defeats across their last 10 in all competitions, but they have won 3 of their 4 games at home in the league, losing once. Saturday's hosts come into this FA Cup Qualification contest off the back of a 3-game winning streak, including back-to-back victories over Braintree Town FC (2-1) and Peterborough Sports (3-1).
Morecambe have had a similarly mixed bag of a campaign, with 5 wins, 1 draw and 4 defeats in their last 10 in all competitions. Their form is a little better, with 2 wins, 1 draw and 2 defeats in their last 5, but the last 3 games saw them draw away at Oxford City, beat Darlington in the FA Cup Qualification 3-0, and lose 2-1 at Worksop Town.
Styles clash should make this a proper cup battle
This game should be a bit of a contrast in styles, as AFC Rushden And Diamonds are a pretty direct and front-foot side, as they look to transition quickly, serve the ball wide and win set-pieces. In contrast, Morecambe tend to be a little more patient and combination-based, looking to rotate the ball and keep it off their opponents. That could make for a true cup battle, as Rushden will look to make this physical and a game of aerial dominance, while Morecambe will look to keep the ball and calm the crowd.
The odds for a home win here look very generous, at 59/20. AFC Rushden And Diamonds have momentum behind them and home advantage and they should be in for a proper cup tie. Adam Lakeland's Morecambe are versatile in their 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 shapes, but they have been more susceptible to conceding away from home (7 goals) and AFC are the team that should have the upset edge.
Elliot Newby has scored 2 of Morecambe's 5 goals in their last 5 matches and is the most likely danger man for the Shrimps, while Rushden's last 2 games at Nene Valley have resulted in wins, but they have also conceded 6 goals in 4 home games, so don't underestimate the visitors here.
