Deres still dreaming of fairytale clash with giants Leeds United

ERITH & BELVEDERE have the talent and hunger in their ranks to dump Ryman League Division One South side Godalming Town out of the FA Cup on Sunday, writes Stephen McCartney.

That is the message coming from Chris Cosgrove, the joint-manager of the entertaining Bulmers Cider Kent League club this week, ahead of the big second qualifying round tie on Sunday afternoon.

The Deres, confident of causing their second FA Cup upset, having dumped out Godalming’s rivals Sittingbourne in the previous round, are full of beans, having thumped Sussex County League minnows Sidlesham 7-0 in the second qualifying round of the FA Carlsberg Vase last Sunday.

There are plenty of incentives to beat Chuck Martini’s side at Park View Road on Sunday.

Not only the media attention it will create, and the £4,500 in prize money, it will also create history for the Kent club.

Success on Sunday will not be the only time that the club have reached the third qualifying round of the greatest Cup competition in the world.

However, counting preliminary rounds, a win will mean that the Deres have won through four rounds of the FA Cup for the first time in their history.

They started their run with routine wins over Sussex County League sides Lancing (4-0) and East Preston (2-1) - but their best result followed in the first qualifying round.

Sittingbourne boss Gary Abbott, who insisted his side would knock out the Deres, was made to eat his words as the Deres secured a 2-0 win at Park View Road.

Previously, Erith & Belvedere have been in the third qualifying round on eight occasions, but none of those runs involved four wins.

The Football Association recently introduced an extra preliminary round - the Deres beat Lancing at this stage this season - in response to the growing number of clubs entering the competition - a record of 762 this season.

The Deres have been in the fourth qualifying round just once - in 1924 when they received a bye to that round as the previous season’s FA Amateur Cup finalists.

In those days Football League clubs entered at this stage and the Deres were drawn away to Reading, losing 2-0.

But Cosgrove said after their win over Lancing that he wants to play giants Leeds United in the first round of this season’s competition.

But before that happens, the Deres must get past a Godalming Town side, that currently occupy 12^th place in the Ryman One South table - and then another two higher-league clubs.

The Surrey side have won 3 and drawn one of their first eight league games this season, but the Deres go into the game in confident mood.

“We are under no illusions,” Cosgrove told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“It’s going to be very, very tough, but I should imagine if you go into the Godalming changing room and you spoke to their manager he’d be saying exactly the same thing about us.

“It’s a very tough game, a flick of a coin. Whoever plays well may win it. We’ve just got to play good football for ninety minutes and we may be good enough.

“Of course we’re the underdogs. We’re playing (against a team) a league higher. It’s going to be hard, but we can only give it our best shot. We’re going to give Godalming full respect - they’re the favourites.

“They’re expected to win the game. We’re not expecting it, but if we put our best game forward, we’re capable. If we don’t put our best game in, we’ll lose.”

Cosgrove is fully aware that every season there is a surprise package that makes it through to meet the big-boys - and Cosgrove wants to meet giants Leeds United in three rounds time.

“We’ve over achieved already to be honest because, lets be fair, we shouldn’t still be in it at this stage,” admitted Cosgrove.

“There’s not many clubs (at our level) still in it. We’ve over achieved so we expect to lose - but if we win it’s a bonus basically.

“Of course Godalming are beatable. Any team’s beatable, but we’ve got to be on our best game and hopefully we will be. We’re eight games unbeaten and confidence is high.

“We’re going to be ready for the challenge and we’re going to give it our 100% best shot and if we get past them then basically we’re in fairytale land.

“Maybe my prediction from the first game (of playing Leeds United in the first round proper) may come true!

“It’s a possibility. It’s a dream and you don’t expect to do it but the dream’s still in our hands and if we win the next one I’ll start dreaming even more. Leeds, maybe, here we come!

Cosgrove urges Kent football fans to help keep the dream alive - by getting themselves to Park View Road on Sunday afternoon.

He said: “We’re not a boring team, we score goals. We like to play football and try to be entertaining as well as win.

“Hopefully if we continue doing well they may start crawling out of the woodwork. All we can do is keep winning.”

www.kentishfootball.co.uk will be covering this game.

Visit Erith & Belvedere’s website: www.erithandbelvederefc.co.uk

Special thanks to Brian Spurrell for contributing towards this article.

Erith & Belvedere v Godalming Town
FA Cup (Sponsored by E.ON) Second Qualifying Round
Sunday 28^th September 2008
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Park View Road, Welling, Kent DA16 1SY