WITTON Albion are on the brink of reaching the final stage of FA Cup qualifying for the first time since 2018.

In order to take that final step, however, they face a test their manager Ben Harrison says is among the toughest the competition can currently offer.

Victories over Crook Town, City of Liverpool and South Liverpool have put Albion into the third qualifying round, and further progress would be their longest run in the competition for six years.

It would also bring them a step closer to reaching the first round proper for the first time since 1995.

However, they will have to beat the odds tomorrow as they travel across Cheshire to take on Macclesfield, who currently top the Northern Premier League Premier Division and are unbeaten this season.

They reached this stage by hammering National League North side South Shields 5-0 and now face a Witton side who go into the game having lost four of their past five games, the latest of which was Tuesday’s 2-1 reverse at Chasetown.

Despite that, Harrison insists Witton can approach Saturday’s tie with complete freedom.

“You’ve got no choice but to pick yourselves up. We’d have done that whoever we were playing on Saturday,” he said.

“We’ve got a free hit in the third qualifying round against one of the best teams in it still in it.

“I know they’re only the league above but you’ve got to look at the results they’ve had like beating South Shields 5-0.

“I’m excited – it’s going to be a great occasion for the lads, especially the young ones who have maybe not experienced that before.”