"Obviously we are all looking forward to playing the Cup game," he said.
"But the game at Rochdale before that is a very big one for us.

"It is about time we won away from home this season and this is a chance for us to do that.

"Rochdale are not doing too bad and are above us in mid-table . But we are playing well and there is no reason we can't go there and get a result. Then we can start looking forward to the FA Cup."

With Jon D'Laryea back to fitness, Dawson is aware that he, D'Laryea and Lee Bell are likely to be competing for two places at Rochdale and Harrogate Railway.

"It is good to see Jon back," he said. "We have missed him terribly and he does a lot of the ugly side of the game that people maybe don't give him credit for.

"Competition is good for the manager and good for the team."

Dawson will be putting his feet up at the weekend and watching Ireland play. But he admits he would rather be facing Wrexham.

"We really wanted to play," he said. "But I can understand them wanting to postpone it with four or five players missing on international duty.

"They are fighting for their lives like ourselves and it would have been a real six-pointer. So it would have been a big disadvantage to them."