Laws eager for Scunthorpe to earn shot at giant-killing

Two sides looking to secure a tie against Premiership opposition in the FA Cup tonight are Scunthorpe United and Barnsley, who meet at Glanford Park for the right to travel to Portsmouth in the fourth round.

The minds of the Scunthorpe players may have been on tonight's tie at the weekend as they lost 1-0 at Bristol Rovers, to slip further off the Third Division play-off pace. Barnsley, meanwhile, are riding high in the Second Division in fourth spot after a 1-1 draw at Colchester on Saturday.

The Scunthorpe manager, Brian Laws, knows the extent of his side's task. "We've got to stand up now and be counted, and try to bounce back quickly against Barnsley," he said.

Meanwhile, the Accrington Stanley manager, John Coleman, has warned Colchester that his non-League side have every intention of securing a trip to Coventry City by winning their third-round replay.

Colchester failed to break down the Conference side in the goalless draw at the Interlink Express Stadium and Coleman declared: "We are going there with no fear. We have got a good side - they haven't seen the best of us yet. So if we can attack them as we did at our place, then we have a chance."

Preston will be looking to take their improving form into their replay at their First Division rivals Reading. North End, who have climbed to fifth in the League, shared six goals with the Royals at Deepdale, where Ricardo Fuller scored twice.

The winners will be away to Swansea City, while a trip to Birmingham City awaits either Stoke City or Wimbledon, who meet at the Britannia Stadium. Stoke will be without the suspended Marcus Hall, while the on-loan Leicester defender, Gerry Taggart, does not want to be Cup-tied. The striker Ade Akinbiyi has an ankle problem.