EXETER CITY HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS

HEYBRIDGE Swifts’ Jody Brown says he’s already received plenty of good luck messages ahead of Sunday’s clash – including one from his opposite number in the dugout today, Exeter City’s Paul Tisdale.

The Swifts head to St James Park as the lowest-ranked side left in the Cup, sitting eighth in Bostik North and some 90 positions below Exeter in the football pyramid.

“It’s going to be a huge task and a huge occasion for us,” said Brown. “All the players’ families are heading down there and we are taking around 350 fans when we normally get a home gate of 200.”

On Tisdale’s call of good luck, Brown was quick to hail the class of the Grecians boss, saying: “He called me on Friday and said what a special achievement it is by our club to have got this far. 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 gulf between the two sides, Brown believes his players can go there and put in a performance to be proud of, although he remains realistic as to the size of the task. “At some stage our cup run is going to end, but we just have to go down there and concentrate on giving a good account of ourselves,” he said.

“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.

“But there is absolutely no pressure on us. Nobody is expecting us to go there and win. It’s a bonus.”

Brown confirmed that striker Josh Fagbohun will be missing with a groin injury, while also offering his condolences to the absent Lewis Godbold – a Swifts hero after saving them from relegation last year.

“Lewis suffered an injury in a warm-up a few weeks ago. I am gutted for him.

“His goals saved us from relegation last year and if we went down to Step 5 we wouldn’t be here today in this Cup run. It’s very sad for both him and Josh.”