HIS legs may be showing signs of wear and tear after years of sustained assault - but the Derek Mountfield soccer head is as effective as ever.

And Burnley boss Adrian Heath is all too aware of the aerial threat posed by the Walsall stalwart.

The pair were colleagues in Everton's cup winning side of 1984, beating Watford 2-0 at Wembley.

In tomorrow's Littlewood's FA Cup second round clash at the Bescot Stadium, thoughts of a repeat trip to the twin towers are little more than fantasy for both men.

There is, though, the major incentive of a plum third round clash against the fat cats of the Premiership.

And Burnley have the added incentive of a score to settle.

Walsall dumped the Clarets out of last season's competition 3-1 and Heaths' men will be eager to reach the third round for the seventh time in the last eight seasons. Chris Nicholl's men are desperate to cash in on home advantage, having won just once on their Division Two travels this season.

While Heath would clearly love to win at the first attempt, a replay at Turf Moor would be far from a disaster.

Mountfield, who is battling to shake off a knee injury sustained against Bristol Rovers in midweek, poses a huge problem at set pieces.

Heath said: "He scored something like 19 goals from the centre half position in one season at Everton.

"If Walsall have set pieces he will probably be their most dangerous player.

"If it is bobbling about, Derek will stick it in.

"He is always liable to come up with a goal and scored in the 1984 semi-final against Luton from a set-piece."

But Mountfield is a member of a Walsall back line that Heath believes are vulnerable.

"We are full of confidence and optimism and our front five or six are always capable of scoring.

"The front four are their biggest danger.

"The wide men John Hodge and Chris Marsh play on the 'wrong' wings, come inside and play off the front two, Kyle Lightbourne and Kevin Wilson, who are both very experienced." Nicholl wants more of the grit and determination that brought a 1-0 home win against Bristol Rovers on Tuesday.

"It showed my players have character and courage as well as talent and we will need those qualities against Burnley," he said.

Both sides have had their glory days in recent seasons.

Walsall drew against Leeds in 1995 third round - Burnley holding Liverpool at Turf Moor in the fourth round of the same year - while Walsall took Watford to two replays in 1988.

And in the 1975 competition the Saddlers knocked out both Manchester and Newcastle United.

Heath wants the opportunity for a crack at similar quality opposition.

"The FA Cup is a chance for all the players to make themselves household names in the third round.

"There is going to be somebody from our division who might sneak a really good cup run and I hope it is us.

"If we drew a Coventry or Manchester City we might well cause an upset.

"And Walsall will be dreaming of that third round with five or six possible Midland derbies."

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