Playing in front of live TV cameras will have no effect on his team according to Glenn Pennyfather as he leads City out at Macclesfield Town in an FA Cup Second Round replay, though he was keen to highlight one contributing factor which will have a bearing on the underdogs’ fortunes at Moss Rose tonight.

 

Several coachloads of Clarets fans will venture north for the 8:05pm kick-off, broadcast on ESPN, BBC 5Live Sports Extra and BBC Essex (online), and Pennyfather believes vocal backing from the terraces will be a crucial factor in reducing the gap between City and the Football League outfit. Bolton Wanderers will be interested viewers to see who they’ll travel to in Round Three and Glenn believes that would be a fitting reward for his club.

 

City have never had a match broadcast live on television before, but Glenn doesn’t think it will interfere with the squad’s routines, claiming: “It will have no effect on the players. They’ll have all their media attention after the game if they get a result but it won’t affect their build-up or preparations. I’ve played under cameras on numerous occasions and, although you know they’re there, you don’t notice them while the game’s going on.”

 

But he thinks the backing of the travelling supporters will assist: “If we can get a decent band up there for a midweek game a long way from home it will be an absolutely brilliant turnout, and I’ll want to shake the hand of every single one of them. I speak a lot about how much the support from the Claret Army lifts the players and I can’t emphasise that enough.”

 

He will be sweating on the fitness of five of his players before naming the starting eleven. Winger Anthony Cook is definitely out through injury, while midfielder Sam Corcoran returns from suspension, but wide men Ricky Modeste and Greg Morgan, striker Cliff Akurang and playmaker Max Cornhill, plus skipper David Rainford, all face fitness tests.

 

Last time it was Cornhill who put the Clarets a goal up at Melbourne in the first half before Tony Diagne levelled after the break, setting-up this replay for the right to face Premier League club Bolton at the next stage. Since that game City have beaten Maidenhead United and lost to Bath City, while Town recorded a goalless draw at home to Gillingham on Saturday and maintained their play-off aspirations in 13th position in the league table.

 

Pennyfather repeated that Chelmsford are in a “win-win situation,” adding: “Sometimes you only get one bite at the cherry, but the result remains to be seen and this game should hold no fears for us. If we lose, we’re expected to lose. If we win, we’re the heroes! We want to prove that we’re a good team and a club who like to do things the right way.”

 

Pitch covers are shielding the surface from the recent wintry weather conditions and fans can gain admission on the day, with terrace tickets costing £10 for adults, £6 for concessions, £3 for under 18s and students and £1 for under 12s. Adults will pay £12 for a seat ticket - £10 for concessions - while the other prices remain the same. Spectators are to be handed vouchers to give them the opportunity of a Bolton ticket before they go on open sale.

 

Clarets on the Box at the Clubhouse! City will make their live TV debut on ESPN for this game and pocket £36,000 for the appearance. If you can’t travel to the match, then why not join the posse of Clarets in the clubhouse? For every goal that the Clarets score, 50p will be slashed off the price of a specified lager and an ale! Get down there - it could be a cheap night out! If you’re watching at home, then ESPN is available on Sky channel 417 and Virgin Media channel 529. To subscribe, call (0844) 324 1540 or visit tv.espn.co.uk. For the live radio commentaries, visit www.bbc.co.uk/5live/sport/commentaries (5Live Sports Extra on DAB digital radio) or www.bbc.co.uk/essex (BBC Essex on 103.5 or 95.3 FM or DAB).

 

Gifts and Souvenirs: The new Club Shop will be open briefly before the departure of the Travel Club coaches for last-minute purchases of scarves or hats to keep you warm on the terraces! The shop is also open on Thursday evenings from 6:00pm in the run up to Christmas and has plenty of gift options and branded merchandise. It’s always open before and after home games and credit and debit cards can be accepted. New stock includes winter coats and jackets, training wear and 5XL replica shirts. Contact jerry@andreas-carter.co.uk with any queries.

 

Refreshments and Hospitality: Away fans have use of the Corner Flag bar inside Moss Rose for all food and drink requirements. In addition, Macclesfield are offering a special hospitality package which includes a two-course carvery dinner, a match ticket with complimentary programme and a pre and post-match cash bar facility. The cost is £30 per head and bookings can be taken by E-Mail at reception@mtfc.co.uk or by calling (01625) 264686.

 

Macclesfield Town: Address: Moss Rose, London Road, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 7SP. Phone: (01625) 264686. Position Last Season: 15th in npower Football League Two. Miles from Chelmsford: 210. Approx. Journey Time: 3 hours, 50 minutes. Nickname: The Silkmen. Team Colours: All Royal Blue. Ground Capacity: 6,355 (Seats 2,599). Official Website: www.mtfc.co.uk.

 

Travel Club Coach: Names are currently being taken for coach travel to this game, with three coaches currently booked. Departure will be from the Clubhouse at 1:15pm and opposite the County Hotel at 1:30pm. The return fare is £20 for adults and £10 for under 16s and details on seat availability can be obtained from Mark Fleming on (07506) 873741.

 

Directions to Moss Rose: Exit the M6 at Junction 17 (Sandbach) and follow the A534 to Congleton. From here, take the A536 to Macclesfield (signposted from the motorway). After passing the ‘Millers’ pub on the left, continue for about a quarter of a mile and take the first right after the speed camera onto Moss Lane. Follow Moss Lane until you reach the ground. Nearest Train Station: Macclesfield (1.1 miles).

 

Weather Forecast: Clear. 2 degrees Celsius. Wind 10 mph.

 

Blue Square Bet Odds: Macclesfield Town 5/6, Draw 23/10, Chelmsford City 3/1. Do you fancy a flutter? Then visit www.bluesq.com/fans where you can register to earn money for the Clarets when you open a brand new Blue Square account.

 

Follow the Clarets Online! Stay up-to-date with all the latest Clarets news, results, offers and information through the brand new official Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/OfficialClarets or search for, and follow, ‘OfficialClarets’. This new service runs alongside the existing unofficial feed from ‘CCFCUpdates’ which is also a useful source of scores and match details.

 

Budweiser Man of the Match: Did you know that you can now help to decide which player is awarded the official Budweiser Man of the Match for every game in The FA Cup this season? Head over to the Budweiser UK Facebook page and select the Man of the Match panel on the The FA Cup with Budweiser Hub during matches and your vote will count towards the final outcome. If you’re not near a computer you can still vote using the free official Budweiser Man of the Match app available for iPhones and on Android. If you’re over 18, cast your vote at www.facebook.com/BudweiserUK.