Jake out to give Mariappa a hiding
WOKING striker Jake Hyde wants to leave best pal Adrian Mariappa red-faced – and then take the shirt from his back.
Hyde and Watford defender Mariappa, 32, will put their decadelong friendship on the line when the National League South parttimers chase the upset of the third round tomorrow.
Hyde, 28, said “Maps is a great guy but I am looking forward to scoring two goals against him and then walking off with his shirt.
“If I get a goal he won’t live that down. I’ll be reminding him until he is an old man.
“We are great friends off the field and will still be great friends after the game but come game day it is going to be a battle.
“As soon as the first whistle goes I will be looking to score and help knock them out.”
In the last round Woking, who are second in the table, won 1-0 at League Two Swindon with Hyde the goalscoring hero against his former club.
“I have the utmost respect for Maps,” said Hyde. “To get to his early 30s and still be doing the business in the Premier League shows how well he has done.
“I know how hard it is to make it at that top level and you only do that through sheer hard work and dedication.”
He admits the Hornets would not have been his first choice of top-flight opposition, but is delighted to be pitted against Mariappa.
“I am a big Chelsea fan,” said Hyde. “I was hoping we’d pull them out but as soon as we drew Watford that was the first thing that came into my head.”
Hyde was introduced to Mariappa by former Swindon team-mate Sean Morrison, who is now at Cardiff.
“We had three or four holidays together and became great friends,” said Hyde. “I go to his birthday party every year. We have played against each other before but only at youth level and neither of us realised we had until I found some old photos. If anything our close relationship will make us both more fired up because it is about bragging rights.
“Whoever is picking him up from corners I need to make sure they know, whatever happens, they do not let him score.
“He has not seen me play as much as I have seen him so I am going to try and use that to my advantage. I know his game a lot better than he knows mine.”
Woking’s opening FA Cup match this season was a 4-0 victory against Tooting & Mitcham in September in the second qualifying round. Watford, by contrast, are eighth in the top flight and Hyde said: “It is a great opportunity to show what a good side we are against a top10 team in the Premier League.
“We have won seven games in a row, so confidence is high and they are the ones with everything to lose. We have nothing to lose.”