MIKE Kelly and John Maher will be hoping their spying trip to West Yorkshire on Tuesday night pays dividends in Ramsbottom's FA Cup extra preliminary round tie against Thackley at the Riverside on Saturday (kick-off 3pm).

The Rams' manager and secretary took advantagement of the postponement of United's home league game against Squires Gate to journey over to Bradford.

They saw Northern Counties East Premier Division outfit Thackley crash 3-0 to Garforth, but manager Kelly is wary of treating them too lightly, despite Tuesday night's abysmal showing.

He could be right, for Thackley secretary Stuart Willingham reckons they are a lot better than that.

"We drew at Buxton 0-0 last Saturday, so if you had asked me before Tuesday I would have said we had made a decent start."

Apart from having to bounce back from that heay defeat against Garforth, Thackley boss Andy Taylor will also be without striker Andy Patterson and midfielder Simon Hillam.

A similar result to the one when Ramsbottom last played Thackley a couple of years ago in an FA Vase tie will suit Kelly and Maher down to the ground.

The Rams won that one 4-3, but perhaps a more decisive scoreline might be better received as United only snatched victory in that last encounter thanks to a last minute goal!

Kelly should have a full strength squad to choose from following Tuesday's postponement after the sudden death of Squires Gate defender John Thomson. Carl Lomax will be added to the Rams squad.