With no prize money it becomes difficult for a club of our stature to sustain the squad that we’ve got so it’s quite stark the differences a FA Cup run gives you, says Faversham Town boss Ray Turner

FAVERSHAM TOWN manager Ray Turner says he’s feeling a little apprehensive going into tomorrow’s FA Cup Preliminary Round home tie against Hackney Wick.

The Lilywhites go into the Salters Lane clash sitting in eighth-place in the Bostik South East Division table after a 1-1 draw at home to Herne Bay and a 2-1 win at Thamesmead Town last Sunday.

Hackney Wick sit in third-place in the Eastern Counties League Division One South table and have collected two wins and a draw so far this season.

Faversham Town are two levels higher than their opponents and being at home, Turner wants to make that count.

“Naturally a little apprehensive if I’m honest because I don’t like not knowing anything about a side.  They’re newly-formed and they’ve got a very interesting project there by the sounds of it with the players’ that they’re recruiting,” said Turner.

“We’ve got a home tie, which is important.  We will try to get a report on them.  I’m a manager that tends to focus on us a little bit more.  You can worry about an awful lot about these teams and I think we need to look at it and say we’re at home in The FA Cup and take the game to them and get through to the next round.”

The winners of FA Cup Preliminary Round ties will bank £2,890, with the losers picking up £960, while the winners of the next round will bank a further £6,000, which is an increase on last season.

“It’s huge! Every manager will say the same.  It’s the difference in maintaining the squad that we’ve got and potentially adding to it later on in the season,” said Turner.

“With no prize money it becomes difficult for a club of our stature to sustain the squad that we’ve got so it’s quite stark the differences a Cup run gives you and I’m keep to get runs in all of the Cups this year because of the lack of midweek games.”

Turner then takes his side to Ashford United on Bank Holiday Monday (15:00). Gary Alexander has guided his club to third-place in the table after beating Hythe Town (3-1) and Guernsey (3-0).

Turner said: “That will be a good game. I understand there’s going to be no replays that week so that’s definitely going ahead and I’m looking forward to that.

“I think Ashford have recruited very well and they’ve got a good following and that’s only going to get bigger if they stay at the top end of the table, which I expect them to.

“I think we’ll give them a game.  We’ve got players who have been around and done it a little bit and it’s up to Ashford to get the result on the day and I think we’ll be awkward opponents on the day.”

There will be 24 league Kent derbies out of 38 games in the Bostik South East Division this season.

“I’m not unhappy about it because I think we’re in the best league,” said Turner.

“I know you’re a little bit biased but you look at the club’s in our league and I think it’s a good league and I think it will attract more supporters and bigger gates, which is important.

“But every game is going to be a battle.  No-ones going to give you anything. As teams start getting to the top and teams battling away at the bottom, I don’t think there’s a huge difference between the sides down at the bottom and the top.  You just have to get your head down.  We need to keep working and concentrate on ourselves and just keep those points mounting up.”

Visit Faversham Town’s website:  www.favershamtownfc.co.uk

Faversham Town  v  Hackney Wick
The Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round
Saturday 25 August 2018
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Salters Lane, Faversham, Kent ME13 8ND