Martinez wary about FA Cup upset

FA Cup third round
Venue: Glass World Stadium Date: Tuesday, 13 January Kick-off: 1945 GMT
Coverage: Coverage on BBC Radio Wales SW & SE FM, score updates and text commentary on BBC Sport website

Swansea boss Roberto Martinez admits it is "not nice" to face non-league teams on their own patch, ahead of Tuesday's FA Cup third round trip to Histon.

The rearranged match will go ahead after a pitch inspection on Monday deemed the surface playable.

The Swans were knocked out at the same stage last season by non-league Havant & Waterlooville, 4-2 in a replay.

"To play non-league sides in the FA Cup is not a nice role to have," Martinez told BBC Wales.

"In the FA Cup, everyone wants to see the league club out of the competition and we are ready and prepared for whatever comes our way.

"When you play non-league sides... they are unpredictable games.

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" I think we could be on the wrong end of another upset if we don't keep very focused on the football "
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"On their day they will raise their game and they are going to take it to the maximum and we need to be ready for that."

The clash already has some tension after a row broke out when the original tie was called off due to a frozen pitch.

Histon chairman Gareth Baldwin accused the Swans of persuading referee Phil Crossley to call off their third round meeting.

Baldwin had claimed: "Swansea officials were on their phones to the FA" to postpone the third round tie before it was called off.

But Swans physio Richie Evans, who was at the ground at the time of the inspection said: "The only pressure was coming from their end."

Martinez has kept out of the row, preferring to focus on the match itself against the Blue Square Premier outfit.

"We've watched them a couple of times, we know them well as a very strong team and very physical." he said.

"They've done fantastically well at Conference level and are second in the league with a few games in hand.

"That shows they are a confident side, extremely strong on set pieces and dead ball situations and that's going to be a challenge in itself."

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