Hellenic Excited Thornbury go back in time for FA Cup debut

THORNBURY Town play in the FA Cup for the first time in their long history tomorrow – and they will be doing so parading new, yet familiar, attire, writes Simon Parkinson.

Thorns head to Leighton Buzzard for an extra preliminary round tie where their Bedfordshire hosts Leighton Town, who play in the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division, stand between them and a second-stage away date with Southern League One Central side Thame United a fortnight later.

Town are stepping into the famous national competition for the first time in their 121-year existence, and to mark their successful tie-up with Thornbury Falcons a decade ago the team will sport a new blue and yellow away strip in keeping with that old youth section tradition.

Club committee stalwart Richard Shorey, a founder member of Falcons way back in 1990, said: “Since the merger we have seen an increase in players from our youth sides representing Thornbury in our adult teams, some of them playing a crucial role in our promotion to the Hellenic League (in 2017-18).”

Thornbury’s new boss Jason Rees said: “I’m really excited and the players are, too. This is a milestone for the club and we’re keen to play our part in this year’s FA Cup story.

“It’s generated a lot of interest and anticipation here and the lads are looking forward to saying they’ve played in the world-famous competition we all know and love.

“That said, we can’t be embroiling ourselves too much in the occasion itself. We want to progress in the competition and test ourselves against other teams of our standard and possibly beyond.”

Town vice-chairman Graham Smith said: “These are exciting times, venturing into the FA Cup for the first time ever and creating history for Thornbury.

“It’s a long trip too to Leighton Buzzard, but I know that whatever side Jason and Gary Kemp put out we will be well prepared.”

Thornbury need a quick pickme-up after losing 5-4 against Hellenic Division Two North hosts Adderbury Park last weekend in the first round of the Bluefin Sports Challenge Cup.

Their first Division One West fixture is next Tuesday at home to league new boys Malvern Town (7.45pm).

Tytherington Rocks boss Tim Minihane has warned his players they must get to grips quickly with the Hellenic One West’s big-hitters.

The new-look Hardwicke Field outfit suffered a 4-1 opening-day defeat at Cheltenham Saracens, who finished runners-up last season and are expected to go well this campaign.

Without a fixture this weekend, Minihane’s men welcome Malmesbury Victoria to South Gloucestershire next Wednesday – a game the hosts will no doubt approach with some caution.

Malmesbury crushed Tytherington 13-0 at home last term and 5-2 away. And it has not escaped Minihane’s attention that the Wiltshire team thrashed last season’s bottom club New College Swindon 13-0 last Saturday.

“After that result, and what they did to us last season, Malmesbury will be full of confidence,” said the Rocks boss.

“Maybe they will come to us thinking it will be more of the same for them against the league’s second worst side last season. We feel we can score against anyone and it’s more about how we defend against certain types of opposition. You have to get tight to these teams and get bodies around them or you’ll pay the price at this level.”

That appeared to the case last weekend once Saracens had recovered from the setback of conceding a fifth-minute goal scored by Rocks’ new signing Gael Basana, who finished well after chasing down a poor back-pass.

It was downhill for much of the first period after that and Minihane said: “We shot ourselves in the foot and it took us a long time to figure out how to stop their tactic of pinging diagonal balls out to their fast wide men and subsequent drilled balls across our box.

“But we did create a few good opportunities of our own and on the whole went toe to toe with them in a way we wouldn’t have done last season.”