Fleetlands pair react to ‘ruthless’ message
Dave Carter accepts staying in the FA Cup won't be easy as they visit Aylesbury United in tonight's first round qualifying tie at Chesham FC’s The Meadow (7.45pm).
He is urging his side to be switched on from the start against their Southern League Division One Central hosts.
Carter blamed a sluggish opening for their 2-1 opening day league defeat at Cinderford Town.
He knows they can't afford a repeat against opponents full of confidence following their 1-0 league win at Corby Town.
'It was disappointing at Cinderford that we didn't start playing until we were two goals down,' said Carter.
'If we want to progress in the FA Cup then we have to be better.
'An improvement is needed in both boxes.
'Aylesbury started with a good win at the weekend so this will be a difficult game.
'Also they play at Chesham's ground which isn't the easiest to get to in midweek.
'Hopefully the M25 will be clear.
'It is important that we dust ourselves down ready to come back after losing our first game.
'Cinderford has always been a bit of a bogey ground for us but we have to put it behind us.
'We have to go into this game believing we can have a good run in the FA Cup.'
Moneyfields beat Camberley Town 4-2 in the previous round and hope to take encouragement from that.
They are also boosted by the return of Marley Ridge who went on as a late sub at Cinderford due to a bruised foot.
'Marley has played at a higher level with the Hawks, Gosport and Hartley Wintney,' said Carter.
'He brings lots of pace and energy in front of their back four. We rested him for most of our first game so that we would have him for the cup tie.'
Alongside Ridge the visitors also possess the power and quality of striker Steve Hutchings and the creativity of George Barker.
Barker scored at Cinderford and showed his quality on the ball.
Strikers Kelvin Robinson and Jamie Wrapson both netted twice as Fleetlands answered a call to ‘get nastier and more ruthless’ with a 6-0 caning of Hampshire Premier League strugglers Lyndhurst.
The Coptermen were only leading 1-0 at the interval through an early goal from Luke Heard.
‘We were passing the ball around a lot, it looked great but we were too pretty at times,’ said boss Rich Bessey.
‘I told them at half-time to get nastier and more ruthless. They weren’t the best of opposition, but we went out and we made a statement.’
Fleetlands netted five times in the last half hour with Wrapson (60 and 82 mins), Robinson (65 and 80 mins) and Dillon North (87) on target.
Robinson now has five goals in his first four HPL appearances for the club since signing from Fareham Town in the summer.
Fleetlands keeper Matt Shortt suffered a broken thumb in the warm-up, but completed the 90 minutes.
Bessey could give Josh Whitehead, fit again after injury, his first start of 2020/21 in this weekend’s game against Colden Common.
Elsewhere, the club still has a sizeable injury list with Bessey only able to name two subs against Lyndhurst. Charlie Walker, who suffered an ACL injury last summer, is still being troubled with a swollen knee.
Infinity are poised to complete the signing of former Fleetlands keeper Derek Harding from HPL rivals Liss. He will go straight into the squad for tomorrow’s huge Senior Division clash with Bush
Hill at Hythe & Dibden FC.