DEREK Egan wants his players to face the biggest game of their careers head on in the FA Cup tomorrow.

The Ramsbottom United manager is urging his team to go all out and attack Nationwide Conference North high-flyers Southport in their second qualifying round tie at the Riverside.

Victory for the Rams will equal their best ever run in the FA Cup when they reached the third qualifying round six years ago -- before losing 5-0 at home to Southport!

But Egan won't mind a repeat of that scoreline as long as his charges have been brave enough to take the game to the Sandgrounders.

"We're going to have a go at them, I don't care who they are," said Egan. "If we played Manchester United we'd have a go at them as well!

"You've got to go and enforce your game because then you can't be criticised or have any regrets about not being attacking enough.

"That's the way I am. You can't be frightened about going out because you just might upset them."

Egan has admitted, however, that his preparation for the clash hasn't been ideal, mainly because of injuries to two key players.

Cup excursions of a different kind took their toll on Ewan Purcell and Adam Kozlowski on Tuesday as they both picked up injuries in the FA Vase replay win over Newcastle Benfield Saints.

It means Egan will probably have to field two players who have just come back from holiday, Lee Buggie and John Blackley.

But while he mulls over his own problems, Egan hopes that Southport boss Liam Watson is in similarly cautious mood about their chances of progressing.

"They've lost their last three games and will be looking for something to kick-start them again," said Egan.

"But they must be thinking we're half decent because we haven't got here for no reason.

"So I'm hoping they're thinking it will be tasty."

But of course, as with all these good old David v Goliath FA Cup matches, the underdogs are determined to enjoy the day whatever the result.

Egan added: "The only tie that would have been better than this one would have been Radcliffe Borough because that would have been a derby and very exciting.

"But playing someone with the tradition of an ex-Football League team like Southport is fantastic because some of our lads haven't even played in the FA Cup before, let alone against a team like that."