BACKING BOROUGH TO WEMBLEY: We must concentrate on the job in hand, says Malin - EXCLUSIVE

GREENWICH BOROUGH assistant manager Terry Malin has warned against complacency ahead of their FA Carlsberg Vase fifth round replay showdown against Hungerford Town on Saturday, writes Stephen McCartney.

The minnows have taken the Hellenic League side back to their humble Harrow Meadow ground - but Malin knows the job has not been finished.

“We can’t be complacent, we’re not in that position to think now we’re at home that will be it,” the former Slade Green boss said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk on Wednesday night.

“Home advantage in any competition is what you look for. We will look at full use of it but we’re in for a hard game and know what’s in front of us.”

Victory will see Boro’ welcome Arngrove Northern League giants Whitley Bay - FA Vase winners in May 2002 - to Harrow Meadow in the quarter-finals on the first day of March.

And Malin said: “Whitley Bay, from far flung regions coming down to Greenwich Borough would be fantastic - but we’ve got a massive tough game on Saturday.

“If we come through that, Sunday morning we will try to think how we’ll knock Whitley Bay out, but we don’t want to get too far on ourselves.

“We’re fully aware of what we have to do on Saturday and then the Whitley Bay game takes care of itself.

“It’s the plum draw of the quarter-finals and a high-profile game and I’m sure Hungerford will be looking at the same thing.”

The Kent League side earned themselves a second bite of the cherry, courtesy of two well taken goals from Peter Smith - and a fine save from goalkeeper Michal Holder inside extra time.

“We had a great day on Saturday, it was a good advert for our level of football,” reflected Malin.

“The two teams played football in the right way.”

Charlie Austin headed Hungerford into the lead after 17 minutes before Smith drilled a free-kick into the net after 50 minutes.

But Hungerford thought they had sealed their passage into the last eight, courtesy off a 25-yard screamer from Graham Edney, which rocketed into the top far-corner, with just 12 minutes left.

But Smith’s last-gasp bullet header, following a pin-point cross from substitute Chris Hubbard, ensured Boro’ forced extra time - and ultimately the replay.

“To be fair I felt we got into half-time at the right time,” admitted Malin. “We were just wobbling a little bit, the goal upset us but to come in at 1-0 down we were quite happy.

“We got settled down and came out first fifteen minutes and we were fantastic.

“We took the game to them, Badar (Mohammed) hit the underside of the bar and if that went in we may have gone on and won it.

All attention now turns to Saturday’s replay and Malin urges more Kent football supporters to continue watching Boro’s roller-coaster ride.

He said: “It would be nice to get down the ground on Saturday with 200 fans, making it a cracking atmosphere.

And with character in abundance, Malin believes that could take this close-nit side all the way to Wembley glory on 11^th May.

“Credit to the players they go to the last minute and we get rewarded for it,” he said.

“That doesn’t happen by fluke. Manchester United, and I’m not comparing us to them, good sides do whatever it takes to get a result and in the Vase that’s what we’ve done.

“When we’ve really needed it someone always pops up with it. Against Horley Town, Badar Mohammed came off the bench and scored a last minute goal. Their heads don’t go down and they go until the end.

And not receiving any POSITIVE national recognition for their efforts to date has given this side the inspiration they need to cause three more cup upsets on their way to Wembley glory.

Following their deserved draw at Bulpit Lane, a reporter from The Times interviewed manger Phil Miles, trying to dig up off-the-pitch matters, instead of congratulating the team on their achievements.

And Malin said: “The build up to the game is good, it’s nice to be talked about what you think, what could and might happen.

“There’s a few people who know about Greenwich Borough for the right reasons and not the wrong reasons.

“Greenwich Borough is getting a good name for it’s football and nothing else and all those things (happening off the pitch).

“We do the football. We have no say what goes on (behind the scenes) and we concentrate on the football. Our talking’s been done on the pitch.

“If we could get 200 people in Greenwich Borough it would be great!”

“There is no one lower in the cup than us,” said Malin. “With our facilities and budget, with due respect to everyone else, even Kirkham & Wesham have a good set-up.

“We are rank outsiders. If we are going to get beat someone will have to go the full distance.

“It breads confidence in the players, people have belief that maybe there is something at the end of the rainbow for Greenwich Borough.

And Malin wants Boro’ to emulate Deal Town’s achievements in 2000 when Tommy Sampson’s side defeated Chippenham Town - courtesy of a late Roly Graham winner - underneath the Twin Towers.

“No-one expects Greenwich Borough to win it - we’ll do it the hard way,” said Malin.

“A one off-game, on the day, Whitley Bay will be an one-off game. We don’t want to talk about what lies ahead but we’ve got to get past Saturday.

“We’re fully aware what we’ve got in front of us, Hungerford are a very good side.

“We respect them and we have to play every bit as well as we did Saturday to come through that tie.

“They have to play well to knock us out - that bodes for a good game I would have thought!”

But all talk about a showdown against favourites Whitley Bay have been put on the back-burner as Hungerford Town must be beaten first.

“We’ve said all along if we perform at this level against anyone on our day we are a match for anyone,” he said.

“It’s easy to talk, we need to do it again. We believe in ourselves and if we get the right performance we’re a match against anyone in our level.

“We’ve got three or four people who can win a match, nick you a goal. It always holds you in good stead.

“It’s easy to talk, we’ve got to play the game. We’ve told the players that nothing’s been done.

“We’ve got our name in part of the quarter-final draw. It’ doesn’t say Greenwich Borough are through - we have to make sure it says Greenwich!”

COVERAGE

www.kentishfootball.co.uk will be covering this game with our usual in-depth reaction to follow during the course of the weekend.

BBC Radio Kent - 96.7FM - will be providing updates from Harrow Meadow during the course of the game.

Greenwich Borough v Hungerford Town
FA Carlsberg Vase Fifth Round Replay
Saturday 16^th February 2008
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Harrow Meadow, Eltham Green Road, Eltham, London SW9 6BA