Northwich Victoria 2-3 Atherton Collieries result, stats and report

Northwich Victoria twice surrendered the lead and were two goals down after 52 minutes, yet fought back to earn a 4-4 draw in a FA Cup tie that exposed serious defensive shape problems on both sides. The match tells you more about preparation than it does about character.

Northwich Victoria progressed in the FA Cup with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Beverley Town, settling a tie that had finished goalless just three days earlier. One goal was enough. It usually is.

Atherton Collieries advanced in the FA Cup with a controlled 2-0 win over Barnoldswick Town, a penalty in the first half and a late goal doing the damage against a side that had shown no ability to keep a clean sheet in recent weeks.

Two sides with perfect defensive records so far this season meet in the FA Cup on Saturday 22 August. Sophie Hargreaves breaks down the tactical picture, what the early data tells us, and where the value might lie.

Marcus Vale works through the numbers ahead of Saturday's FA Cup tie at Atherton Collieries, asking what one game of data can genuinely tell us about both sides and where the real analytical interest lies.

With Atherton Collieries carrying a 62% probability of victory and goals expected in both ends, this FA Cup preliminary encounter promises more than its modest billing suggests. Rafael Mbeki examines what Saturday's tie might offer.