‘This is all the club has ever wanted’

RAINED off last weekend, nothing can dampen Hayes & Yeading United’s spirits this week as the excitement builds ahead of their FA Cup battle on Sunday, in the biggest game yet at The SkyEx Community Stadium.

The visit of League One Oxford United in the first round of the competition saw tickets sold out in three hours, which shows the pulling power of the competition in the early rounds when the magic pairs a non-league team with a Football League outfit.

As an added bonus for the club, the match is live on BT Sport with a 2.15pm kick-off.

Manager Paul Hughes excited about the tie.

“It’s a fantastic moment for the club to reach the first round proper of the FA Cup,” he said. “It’s brought us a massive tie against Oxford United.

“This is all the club has ever wanted and all we could ask for.

“That mass of local support can be the start of a revival here.

“We’ve got a ground and a team to be proud about and we do have a reputation for playing attacking football, which is what people want to see.

“I’m told there will be an equal amount of Hayes & Yeading supporters as there will be Oxford United so the atmosphere will be electric.

“The players will feel well backed so ‘home advantage’ may give us an extra bit of energy is on the day. Our opponents couldn’t really get any tougher at this stage of the competition.

“They are the in-form League One team, having not lost a single game for more than two months.

“They can claim a 4-0 win over West Ham in the EFL Trophy as one of their scalps while on this impressive run of form.

“I think it’s fair to say it’s going to be a tough game for us.”

This kind of tie is what the FA Cup is all about, though, and Hughes added: “As much as this is a David and Goliath match up, there is always a chance of an upset because it’s a one off game.

“Whatever the result, we will learn loads from the game and the club will have earned a good chunk of money from the TV coverage and the gate receipts.

“This type of revenue is so important for clubs at our level and I’m delighted we’ve taken the opportunity to generate it this season.

“The FA Cup is a wonderful competition for all these reasons.

“I truly believe we have players that can hurt our opposition on Sunday, so this means we’ll always have a fighting chance.

“Let’s see if we can put together a mammoth performance.

“Whatever happens on the day, it’s a memory for the club that we can all be extremely proud to be part of.”