The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Deeping confident ahead of the biggest game in their history
Football - Local club are three wins away from a Wembley final.
Deeping Rangers couldn’t be heading into the biggest game in the club’s history on Saturday in a more confident and relaxed frame of mind.
Michael Goode’s men have won their last nine competitive matches, although they will start their last 16 tie in the FA Vase at Exeter-based Willand Rovers as slight underdogs.
A long trip to face a team who have strung together a dozen successive wins and who sit top of the Western Football League with 20 wins from 24 matches should be a daunting prospect, but not for Deeping, who will travel down to the South West tomorrow (Friday).
“I haven’t had Willand watched,” Goode admitted. “We are determined to play the way that has brought us so much success this season.
“It’s two teams going well in their respective leagues and whoever plays better will win the game. We have to respect them. They have scored more goals than virtually any other team playing at step five level in the country.
“They are top of their league, but it’s difficult to compare standards. We travel in a confident frame of mind and we have a week’s rest after playing nine games in 35 days.
“We are playing so well and we are taking a full squad.
“If we play anywhere near the level we delivered in the second-half of our last FA Vase game we are bound to go close.
“Willand’s pitch is apparently not the best which won’t suit us, but then we won at Holbeach recently against a strong side on a bad surface so we have no reasons at all to be worried.”
Deeping have already set a new club-best for Vase progression. They are just three wins away from a Wembley final.
Deeping are third in the United Counties Premier Division after a 3-0 win at Wellingborough Town last weekend. Dan Jarvis, Dan Flack and Dan Schiavi scored the goals.
The UCL postponed Deeping’s game with Desborough on Tuesday to help with the club’s preparations for their big game.