Tie like a 'cup final' for O'Connor

The Saddlers head to the War Memorial Ground for their FA Cup first round clash tomorrow (1pm) aiming avoid an upset, while the Glassboys are making their debut at this stage of the competition.

O'Connor knows the hosts will be treating the game as the biggest in their history and says the Saddlers must match them.

He said: "We've got to approach it like it's our Cup final. It's a potential banana skin, we know that. They'll be up for it and if we match their enthusiasm, ability and endeavour then I'm sure we'll come out with a positive result.

"It's one of those games where if you prepare lightly and prepare amateurishly then you get a light, amateurish result. We want to progress in the Cup.

"We've not had the best success and it's something we can build on from the second half last week at Wycombe."

The Saddlers came back from 2-0 down at Adams Park to win 3-2 last Saturday, but O'Connor admits the three-sided War Memorial Ground will be completely different to any League One stadium.

He said: "The surroundings are not going to be salubrious and we're not going to have the best pitch to play on but that's the FA Cup. That's the emotion of playing a non-league side, they are going to be right up for it.

"They are used to the surroundings but it's about 11 versus 11 on the pitch. It could be a farmer's field, but they've still got to play on it.

"But we're professional footballers and the word professional is the one we have to take on board.

"I'm sure Stourbridge will put out the performance we're expecting."