TIS: ‘IT MIGHT NOT BE SWIFT WORK!’
Grecians boss wary of cup upset
EXETER City boss Paul Tisdale has warned his players not to slip up on a Heybridge Swifts banana skin in the FA Cup first round this afternoon.
The Grecians know what it is like to lose to Non-League opposition in the FA Cup, going down to the likes of Curzon Ashton and Warrington, and Tisdale doesn’t want to suffer a repeat.
“I have never found it to be an error of application or professionalism,” said the long-serving boss. “It’s been more a case of doing the wrong things. We’ve had experience of losing these games and that will give us something leading up to the game. It’s a terrific competition and it’s a game we want to win.”
Tisdale also knows what it’s like to reach the first round with a Non-League side – he did it with Team Bath in 2002 – and has hailed Bostik North outfit Swifts for getting this far.
The 44-year-old added: “They have played seven matches to get to this point. I think they will play more matches than the winners of the FA Cup will this year.
"It is an amazing achievement and they won’t want to see their dream and excitement finish this Sunday.
Professional
“They will look to take it to another game or a replay, but we have got to make sure we do the best for us and that’s a professional performance. It is not about anything sexy, it is about winning the game.”
Meanwhile, Heybridge Swifts boss Jody Brown has hailed a classy gesture from Tisdale in the lead-up to the game.
“He called me on Friday and said what a special achievement it is by our club to have got this far,” said Brown. “I thought that was a lovely touch. Things get lost in translation during the day and it’s all a bit hectic, so it was nice of him to call.” Despite the four-league gulf in status between the two sides, Brown is upbeat.
“We just have to go down there and concentrate on giving a good account of ourselves,” he added. “If we can do that and perform to our very best, and it will probably have to be the best performance we have ever put in, then who knows?”