The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Sports boss tells his players to forget about ‘exciting’ Cup tie
Football - FA Cup round-up
Peterborough Sports boss Jimmy Dean has told his players to put the prospect of a huge FA Cup occasion out of their minds. Sports eased to a 4-1 triumph at fellow United Counties League Premier Division side Wisbech Town in a preliminary round tie last Saturday.
That success set up a first qualifying round showdown against Step 3 side Stourbridge, who have reached the second round proper in three of the last five seasons, at PSL on September 3.
And while Dean is openly excited about the upcoming tie, he is quick to insist that Sports have important business to attend to in two other competitions before facing the Northern Premier Division side.
They will aim to extend their 100 per cent league start when hosting Cogenhoe on Saturday before travelling to lower-level Wellingborough side Whitworth to start the defenceoftheirKOCupcrown on Tuesday. That was one of four pieces of silverware won by the club during a stunning 2015/16 season.
Dean said: “There is no doubt that the FA Cup tie against Stourbridge will be a brilliant occasion for the club.
“I went to watch them last night andtheyareagoodteam with some dangerous attacking players, but those statements also apply to us.
“I feel it is a tie we can win and our best opportunity of doing that will be at our place. We have to learn from happened against another Step 3 side, Hitchin, last season when we held them to a draw at home before losing in the replay.
“But the FA Cup fixture is still nine days away and we have two important games before then.
“We have the mentality that the next match is always the biggest. You don’t win a quadruple of honours by taking any game lightly.
“Wewanttowineverytime we play in every competition, regardless of whether it is in the Premier Division, the KO Cup or the FA Cup.”
Sports made light work of Wisbech last Saturday after hittingthefrontthroughMark Jones in the opening minute.
The home side then had defender Paul Cousins dismissed before Jones doubled theleadfromthepenaltyspot.
AvelinoVieiraallbutsealed victory before the break, although Sports did concede for the first time this season in the second period. A late own goal increased the margin of victory.
Sports weren’t the only local side to impress in the FA Cup.
Deeping claimed the scalp of higher- l evel Wroxham thanks to a brace of Scott Mooneygoals in a 2-1 triumph at the Haydon Whitham Stadium.
Their reward is another home tie against a team from Step 4 level – Gresley – who play in Division One South of the Evo-Stik League.
Local sides Stamford AFC and Spalding can both be found at that level, and they both made FA Cup progress.
Stamford cruised to a 3-0 success at UCL side Sleaford while Spalding won by the same scoreline at Bury Town.