MIDDLEWICH Town will be motivated by previous exits from the Cheshire FA Amateur Cup when they resume a bid to win the competition on Saturday.

The Witches’ conquerors in each of the past two editions, Poynton last season and Sandbach United before that, have gone on to reach the semi-finals.

“I feel as though we have unfinished business in this tournament,” said co-manager Ross Speight.

“The teams we’ve lost too in the past couple of years have gone close to winning it, and I think we should be looking to go deep.

“We want to enjoy success in every competition we enter, and so we’ll take this game as seriously as any other.”

Poulton Royal, currently ninth in the West Cheshire League’s third tier, are their guests at Seddon Street, kick-off 2pm.

They defeated Mersey Royal in the first round.

Speight said: “They’re an unknown quantity to us, but as a higher-ranked side they’ll likely see us as a scalp to take.

“We’ll respect them, and make sure we approach the game in the right way.

“If we continue to play the attractive football we’re capable of, then they’ll be in for a tough afternoon.”

Town enter the contest buoyed by their second-half performance in a 1-1 draw at Daten in Cheshire League One last weekend.

George Hopkins’ equaliser secured for the visitors a deserved share of the spoils against hosts who are expected to challenge for promotion.

It leaves them level on points with Egerton, who have a superior goal-difference, at the table’s summit.

“We probably did enough to win,” said Speight.

“But it’s a result that leaves us in good shape for Saturday.”