SPORT Vase rivals familiar CITY DRAW LEAGUE FOES

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Ccanterburytb Citcity bboss Bben Smith admits it feels crazy to be in the FA Vase semifinals, but is disappointed to have drawn a side from the same league.

City, 2- 1 winners over Biggleswade at Salters Lane on Sunday, were paired with Southern Counties East League rivals Cray Valley in Monday’s draw for the last four with a spot at Wembley the prize for the winners.

Former National League team Northwich Victoria will play Chertsey in the other semi-final and Smith openly admits he would rather have played one of them in the last four.

He explained: “No disrespect to Cray, who are a club I have a lot of time for, but it would have been nice to have faced someone from outside of the league.

“That’s part of the appeal of the Vase, that you get to play teams outside of your county.

“This feels like a bit of an anticlimax and I’m sure it’s the same for them.

“Northwich used to be in the Conference and are a massive club in non-league terms and Chertsey knocked out West Auckland by winning up there.

“It would have been nice for us to be able to pit our wits against one of them but it is what it is.”

Smith accepts that his side – 12th in the Southern Counties East League – would have been underdogs whoever they drew, but he says they remain confident.

The City manager added: “Whoever you get, you know they are going to be a good side but no-one is unbeatable.”

Smith admitted Sunday’s win over Biggleswade was a day to savour, particularly coming in the same week he and wife Carmen welcomed daughter Ciel to the world.

He added: “To get to March and still be in the Vase is crazy and to win the same week that my daughter came home from hospital just capped it off.”

‘To get to March and still be in the vase is crazy’