Clock is ticking on Godfrey’s Trophy ambition
WEALDSTONE
WEALDSTONE’s Elliott Godfrey admits it could be now or never for him in the FA Trophy.
The Stones host Conference North side Brackley Town on Saturday with a quarter-final in non-league’s most prestigious cup contest the prize on offer.
The former Canadian youth international admits he has never set the world alight in the Trophy despite a distinguished career in the semi-pro ranks.
Having acknowledged the clock on his football career is ticking, the midfield general suggested this was an opportunity he has to make the most of.
“My FA Trophy record has been okay, but I’ve never had a great run – I’ve been more successful in the FA Cup,” said Godfrey. “I’m 33 and going into the latter part of my career. I want to have a good run in it and with the players we’ve got and the fans behind us we are in a great position to do that.”
The tie with Brackley evokes memories of 2010, when the Stones beat the same opponents 1-0 on their travels despite having to field then centrehalf Sean Cronin in goal after Jonathan North was taken ill on the morning of the game.
It was a situation which cast them in the role of underdogs – a scenario they have revelled in during recent years with victory at Conference National Southport in the last round their latest act of giant-killing.
Saturday’s meeting with the Saints though, is billed as very much a 50-50 affair – more’s the pity according to Godfrey, who says the current crop of players and their loyal vocal support like nothing better than to be in the situation where its them against the world.
“When we are the underdogs the fans are behind us fully – it’s a role that suits us,” he added.
“When you go into a game overconfident and it doesn’t go your way in the first five minutes then it is a problem because it is hard to switch out of the comfort zone of thinking ‘we are going to win’.”
Whatever their status in Saturday’s tie, Gordon Bartlett’s side will have to improve on a woeful league showing at the weekend which saw them thrashed 4-0 by play-off chasing Dartford.
Godfrey admitted it was a performance which let down the hoards in The Bulla Stand at Grosvenor Vale and said they would have to usee that disappointment as motivation in the Brackley tie.
“As a group of players, rs, we let the management ent down against Dartford and we let the fans down massively, he said.
“If you look at the fans who came to Southportt two weeks ago, they travelled ed fantastically. So for them to then come to our home ground und and for us to perform how wee did, we let them down.
“On the back of that hat loss the Trophy is a chance e for us to prove ourselves to the fans again.”
Meanwhile, former QPR winger Josh Parker, who o signed for the Stones a fortnightght ago, has left without playing a game for the club, to join Gillingham. ngham.