Crewe Alexandra have left no stone unturned in their preparation for tonight’s FA Youth Cup third round clash with Cardiff City (Tuesday, 7pm).

The young Railwaymen are hoping to knock out the Bluebirds and go further in the competition, at Mornflake Stadium.

Ryan Dicker, Under-18s Manager, says the staff and players have worked hard to get ready, on and off the pitch.

“We have prepared in the same way the first team would prepare for a game,” he said.

“We only really do that for the Youth Cup, because it is part of the experience and the learning curve for the players.

“We’re fortunate we’ve still be able to train properly despite the cold weather, using the facilities at Crewe Alexandra in the Community. The facilities are really good, we are fortunate to have them for a club of our size.

“The staff have watched a few Cardiff games, looked for strengths and weaknesses, and those messages are then put across to the players.

“We do video analysis sessions as well as working out on the grass, and come up with a plan to come out on top on the night.

“We are in these competitions to get experiences for the boys, and the further we can go the better it is for their development."

He added: "We play in the same league as Cardiff - we’re in the North Section and they are in the South. They are a Category 2 academy, the same as us.

“It’s just another opportunity for the boys to test themselves again – the further you go and deeper you get into the competition, it’ll naturally get harder. But we think we’ve got a great chance.”

Crewe have knocked out Mansfield and Grimsby on their way to the third round, while this will be Cardiff’s first fixture in the competition.

Entry is free for both sets of supporters, using the Boughey Stand entrance.