CHIPPENHAM Town chief Mark Collier has warned his Bluebirds players they will have to be bang on their game to avoid becoming the victims of an FA Cup upset this weekend.

Chippenham take on Hellenic League outfit Ardley United in the second qualifying round on Saturday and the Hardenhuish Park boss is no stranger to the orchestration of a relative giant-killing, having guided Swindon Supermarine to the second round of the country’s most famous cup competition in November 2010.

Oxfordshire outfit Ardley will be spearheaded by former Leamington and Banbury United striker Ricky Johnson and Collier is certain that this weekend’s lower-league visitors will be ready to pounce on the first sign of any Chippenham hesitation.

“I’ve been in the dressing room of so-called underdogs in the past. We’ll be considered the favourites, and rightly so, but they’ll gain an extra yard of pace and an extra yard of energy against us,” said the Bluebirds manager.

“I went to watch them last week and I also had them watched on Saturday, so hopefully we’ve done our homework. Their manager, Kevin Brock, has them well-organised and the lad Johnson, who’s played at higher levels for the likes of Leamington and Brackley, will be a big threat to us.

“It’s a big game for us and a big game for the football club because we want to try and get though the FA Cup. We’re well aware of the rewards of progressing and hopefully our fanbase turns up to support us on Saturday.”

Last weekend, the Bluebirds slipped to their biggest defeat of the season so far as they slipped to a 5-1 drubbing at high-flying Dunstable Town.

The hosts’ Chris Marsh scored either side of half-time whilst Adam Watkins, Charlie Henry and David Hutton were all also on target for the Bedforshire hosts, with Toby Osman grabbing Chippenham’s consolation goal.

Collier added: “We won’t be the only side to lose 5-1 this season. I learned a lot from the game and hopefully, so did the players.”

Ben McCready, Iain Harvey and Pete Monks return to the Chippenham squad this Saturday but Darren Edwards and Matt Jones are cup-tied.

Toby Osman has been suffering with illness and George Pawley is a doubt after missing last weekend’s loss at Dunstable with a back injury.

Tyron Leigh is set to continue getting minutes under his belt at Hellenic League Shrivenham.