Hornchurch manager Mark Stimson is delighted to have bagged a home tie in the last 16 of the FA Trophy next month.
The Urchins have been drawn at home to National League South side Maidstone United in the next round of the prestigious non-league cup competition. The tie is due to be played on Saturday, February 6.
Stimson has won the Trophy three times as a manager - in consecutive years - twice with Grays Athletic and once with Stevenage Borough. He also won it as a player at Canvey Island.
He’ll now be looking to cause yet another upset to seal a place in the quarter-finals.
Stimson said. “First of all, to get a home tie is great. It’s a shame we can’t have fans in, as I think that was probably the only thing missing from last Saturday’s match and that would have been the icing on the cake to have fans there behind us.
“When you get to this stage of this competition or any competition you ask for a home tie and we’ve got that.
“We did play Maidstone United in pre-season and when the game comes around the boys will be really up for it and looking forward to it.
“We know it’s going to be another difficult challenge because of the level they play at and because of some of the players they’ve got. But, everything crossed we can just perform how we have done recently, then we know it will be a good game.”
Stimson knows he now must try to keep hold of everyone in his squad. Numbers are already depleted after three departed at the start of the new year.
“We have to respect the opposition, but it's most important to not fear anyone, and with the players we’ve got and the ability they’ve got then we know we’ve got a good chance.
“Now it’s about making sure that we can keep the players from now until then. At the moment the club are sorting things out and it’s looking like in a very positive way.
“Fingers crossed we’ll have the same squad that we did last game.”
He added: “Fortunately we’ll be able to train. It should help us as last time we didn’t have many sessions. But we’ve just got to be careful as the squad isn’t the biggest.
“As much as we want to train, we can’t over train and pick up any injuries as we can’t afford that, as the squad is so thin.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here