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Fri, Mar

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Chris Birchall has nine hours and 4,000 miles extra incentive to want to be on the winning side in tonight's FA Cup first-round tie.


The 21-year-old winger is hoping to get the better of Wrexham's 6ft 7in defender Dennis Lawrence, his team-mate in the Trinidad and Tobago international side. The pair are both flying out to Trinidad in the early hours of Sunday morning in preparation for next week's World Cup play-off against Bahrain.

Birchall knows he has no chance of an aisle seat next to the lanky defender, but has no intention of making the journey seem even longer by having to hear about Wrexham's prospects for the second round.

"We are travelling together, so will be giving each other plenty of stick," he said. "But I already know if I have a decent seat I'll have to swap with him.

"Dennis has become an ever-present for Trinidad and we have become good pals, so I can't wait to play against him.

"He is a good player, and will be a handful from set-pieces. Off the field he is a nice guy, but that is how I have found most Trinidadians."

That said, there will be nothing friendly about the pair's approach tonight as the game has huge significance for both sides.

Wrexham need an FA Cup run more than most, having been in administration for the last 11 months. But the game is also crucial for the Valiants, particularly as progress could help Martin Foyle rebuild his side in the wake of Sam Collins's exit and the possible sale of Billy Paynter.

Collins is expected to be replaced by Tony Dinning in the heart of the Vale defence, but Paynter will play, having appeared unaffected by offers from Hull, Plymouth and Sheffield Wednesday.

Collins's absence could hurt the Valiants, although Birchall says the reshaped team are confident about their chances.

He added: "In training we have looked good. The manager wants to put Wrexham on the back foot and everyone is looking forward to the game.

"It is one of the biggest games of the season for the club. We want to do it to help the club financially but also because we want a good cup run."

The 2001 LDV Vans Trophy apart, a cup run has been a rarity for the Valiants in recent years. In fact they have only beaten one League team, Kidderminster, in the FA Cup, since they knocked out holders Everton in 1996.

Birchall was at the Everton game and also watched from the stands as the Valiants took on Liverpool and Leeds.

He added: "I know we say every year that we want a cup run, but in the olden days Vale were classed as giant-killers. The fans love a good cup run and, if we can get to the third round, everyone would be watching their televisions waiting for the draw.

"In the first round all we could have asked for was a home draw and we have got it."

The game marks the start of the most important spell of Birchall's career, because the home and away games against Bahrain will decide whether Trinidad reach the World Cup finals in Germany next summer.

Birchall is desperate to be fit for the play-off matches, at home on November 12 and away four days later, but he says that will not affect his approach to tonight's match.

He said: "I don't think about getting injured when I am playing. I am praying I will be fit for the Trinidad games, but I wouldn't go into a tackle worrying about that.

"I have been having treatment for a slight dead leg since Saturday, but there is no way I am missing the Wrexham game."

Martin Foyle needs all the fit players he can get tonight as he doesn't have permission to play loan players Gary Mulligan and Chris Cornes.

Wrexham have injury problems of their own and will particularly miss highly-rated central defender Andy Holt, who is ruled out with a knee injury. However, they do welcome back top goalscorer Mark Jones who returns from a one-match suspension.

Jones has scored seven goals this season from his attacking midfield role and should be the greatest threat to Vale's re-shaped defence.