CHORLEY boss Jamie Vermiglio is looking forward to the respite of the FA Cup when they travel to League Two Mansfield Town for their first round tie on Saturday.

The Magpies have had a tough time in the National League, bottom of the table with just one victory all season.

So Vermiglio is happy to shift the pressure away from his players while also go in search of a cup upset against league opposition.

“It’s going to be a nice distraction for us, a bit of respite from the league,” said the Chorley boss.

“Everyone knows how difficult the league has been for us but we can go to Mansfield with no pressure on us at all. We’ll be going as underdogs and they won’t fancy playing us. Whoever we play we always put up a fight.”

Chorley have played league opposition in the first round for the past two seasons and Vermiglio is hoping it will be third time lucky as they go in search of a prize scalp.

Last season they were beaten 7-0 by Doncaster Rovers in a replay but only after going close to winning at Victory Park in the first meeting which ended 2-2.

The Magpies were leading 2-1 going in to the closing stages thanks to goals from Josh O’Keefe and Courtney Meppen-Walker but the sending off of Matt Challoner on the hour mark gave Rovers the man advantage and they forced a replay with a goal 13 minutes from time.

The previous season, Chorley led 10-man Fleetwood Town only for the League One side to equalise then grab an injury-time winner.

“We have been unlucky against league opposition in the last couple of seasons,” added Vermiglio. “We gave Fleetwood a good game and we went very close to beating Doncaster in our first meeting. We are looking forward to Mansfield. It is a game we won’t fear and we can go and play with a bit of freedom.”