Paulton Rovers set to sell out Norwich City Cup clash

Paulton Rovers' were last night just 50 tickets short of selling out their dream FA Cup tie against Norwich City on Saturday.

The club began selling the 1650 tickets to local residents on Sunday and, last night, the remaining 180 went on general sale, with just 50 left available late last night.

The allocation of 500 that was sent to Norwich has been sold and it is understood that the League One club could have shifted four times that amount were it not for the restrictions put on the attendance by the local authority for safety reasons.

The remaining tickets are expected to be sold in the coming days and chairman David Bissex is expecting a record crowd of 2,166 for the first-round clash, which is to be screened live on ITV on Saturday (12.45pm), after installing a temporary 400-seat stand.

"We're delighted that the game is going to be a sell-out and now we can focus on enjoying the build-up to the game and the game itself," said Bissex last night.

"The tickets flew out of the door as soon as they went on sale and there were queues around the block on Sunday. It has been an amazing response and this last seven days or so has really put Paulton on the map.

"Norwich could have sold four times the amount we gave them, but that was impossible due to the restrictions put on attendance by the local authorities. That decision to limit the capacity was a bit disappointing, but those are the rules."

ITV are sending experienced commentary team Clive Tyldesley and former Liverpool defender Jim Beglin and are set to make a decision later today on whether to install covers for the pitch.

The club, meanwhile, are close to completing the required logistical changes to their ground to include temporary turnstiles and segregation, additional refreshment outlets and portable toilets. "The management committee have been fantastic in getting everything organised and we are almost there," Bissex added.

"They are all volunteers, but this last week has been a full-time job for them. It has been a bit manic and my phone has been ringing non-stop, but it has been a very unexpected and enjoyable experience. It is going to be a difficult game for us, but I know that the players will run their hearts out to do everyone connected with the club proud on Saturday."

Meanwhile, skipper Dan Cleverley is facing a race against time to be fit for the game after fracturing a metatarsal in his foot three weeks ago. He said: "The club has arranged for me to see a specialist but at this moment in time I would have to say I am no better than 50-50 to play."