To go in the national stages of The FA Vase would be big for the club, we did it a few years ago and it would be nice to do that again, says Corinthian boss Michael Golding

CORINTHIAN manager Michael Golding says he is expecting a tough game against Ascot United in The Buildbase FA Vase on Saturday.

 

Jamie Tompkins’ side are sitting top of the Combined Counties League Premier Division table with 34 points on the board from their 16 league games, while Corinthian go into this Third Round tie sitting in third-place in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division table with 31 points form 17 games.

Corinthian have beaten league rivals Sheppey United and Canterbury City both by a 2-0 scoreline to reach this stage of the competition, while this will be Ascot United’s seventh game in the competition.

Ascot United started their campaign in the First Qualifying Round and needed extra-time to be held to a 3-3 draw at home to Fleet Town, before winning the replay 3-1.

A comfortable 3-0 win at Frimley Town followed, before an impressive 5-1 win at Sporting Club Thamesmead in the First Round at a rain-lashed Bayliss Avenue.

Abbey Rangers were thrashed 7-0 on the recently laid 3G pitch at home after a 2-2 draw after extra time in the last round.

“They’re a good side. We’ve had reports on them and we’ve gone to watch them twice,” said Golding.

“It will be a tough game and we’ll be underdogs for that no doubt. They’re flying high at the top of their league.

“But we’ll back ourselves.  We’ve got good form at home at the moment but we know it’s going to be a very tough game and we’ll have to play a lot better than we did at Bridon Ropes (a 4-0 win in the Kent Senior Trophy Second Round).”

Despite being an amateur team in a league dominated by some big spenders, little old Corinthian, and Golding still produces a team that are once again challenging for the league title.

“It’s consistency, we’ve probably got six or seven in the squad that have played over 150 games for the club,” said Golding.

“We don’t chop and change every three months when it doesn’t go right or wrong and we don’t get too excited when we won 10-0 or lose 1-0.

“There’s a lot of belief and a lot of trust from the boys to the management team and we have their best interests at heart.

“We want to win things and we want to do well because there’s no money and we treat them with respect.  It’s not a one-in-one-out kind of place.  If they’re working hard and they’re doing well then they’ll be given an opportunity.

“It’s tough, it gets harder each year, there’s more and more clubs this year when you look at the league table, probably all the way down to ninth or tenth place will fancy their chances.

“One of the best sides we’ve played this year are Bearsted, going forward, I think they’re very, very good and they’re in eleventh-place.  The league’s getting stronger and stronger and tougher and tougher.

“We bring players through, we rely on players and their contacts. We go out and watch a lot of games.

“The club helps us do things the right way and we certainly feel as a management team we do things this magical right way that everyone talks about.

“It’s not for everyone, some players want their 30 or 40 quid a week and there’s no issues with that.  If that’s what players need and want then that’s fine. They’re not our type of player.

“We want players that are willing to come in and work hard and sit on the bench for five or six games. If that’s what it takes and buy into being at a club and a squad and it seems to be moving in the right direction.

“Our short-term target is to win in The FA Vase and still be in the three cup competitions at the turn of January, to go in the national stages of The FA Vase would be big for the club.  We did it a few years ago and it would be nice to do that again.  I think that’s in the back of the boys minds now and we can start to fully focus on that.

“I said it at the start of the season I wanted to be involved at the end of the season.  Ultimately, we want to get promoted, we want to do well. 

“We’ve had a poor start, which will probably come back to bite us but that’s not to say we’ve thrown the towel in. We’ll carry on working hard.”

Corinthian v  Ascot United
The Buildbase FA Vase Third Round
Saturday 30 November 2019
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Gay Dawn Farm, Valley Road, Longfield, Kent DA3 8LY