CRADLEY Town boss Marcus McDonald has bolstered his squad with a triple swoop ahead of their FA Cup first qualifying round game at home to Ellesmere on Saturday (3pm).

McDonald has signed former Walsall and Port Vale forward Michael Husbands from Oxford United, while former Halesowen Town midfielder Azariah O’Garro and Oldbury United striker Dave Brown have also been snapped up.

They will all go straight into the squad for the game against the West Midlands Premier outfit but are likely to start on the bench.

Forward Marlon Walters is injured and Liam McDonald is on holiday but last season’s captain JJ Cole is back from playing in America and available.

Cradley have already earned over £2,000 in prize money from the competition this season with another £3,000 up for grabs on Saturday and McDonald is hoping club officials will back him financially if the run continues.

He said: “If we win on Saturday the money we will have earned is getting on for £6,000 which will probably cover our expenses for the season and I hope to sit down with the chairman and talk about where we want the club and team to go as regards to a playing budget.

“To be fair from a crowd point of view we probably would have preferred to play Bromsgrove, who Ellesmere beat in the last round, but it is a big game and the fact they did beat them means they are a good side and we will have to be very much on our guard.”

Cradley have not played since September 2, when they lost 2-0 at leaders Market Drayton but McDonald does not think the lack of match practice will affect them , and said he thought the new signings would help.

“The new signings will come in, boost the squad and provide good competition for places.”

If there is not a replay Cradley will travel to Stourbridge in the Birmingham Senior Cup on Tuesday night (7.45pm).

Causeway United boss Carl Burley has demanded a response from his players, who were forced to travel to Nottinghamshire for an FA Vase replay last night (Wednesday).

United drew 0-0 with Central Midlands League outfit Ollerton Town on Saturday after extra time as Causeway’s jinx against lower league opposition this season continued.

Burley said his team were outworked and outfought by a team who raised their game and could have won it.

He said: “We are doing well in the league but seemed to approach this game, and the one against Shirebrook in the FA Cup, differently.

“Maybe we were over-confident in both games.

“This is worth a lot of cash to the club because whoever wins this tie gets a walkover in the next round which means the prize money is awarded to them so it is a golden opportunity for us.

Chris Busby (back) and Carl Hind (groin) were expected to miss the trip as well as the suspended Matt Hollis and holidaying Danny Cox.

Causeway are away to Market Drayton Town on Saturday (3pm).