It’s a dream of mine to do as well, if not better in The FA Vase as a manager than I did as a player, says Lordswood boss Richard Styles

LORDSWOOD manager Richard Styles says he has some very good memories of playing in The FA Vase.

Now manager of the club, Styles is preparing for the visit of Newhaven in the First Round of The Buildbase FA Vase on Saturday.

Lordswood ended a run of four defeats with a 5-2 home win over struggling Southern Counties East Football League First Division side Sporting Club Thamesmead in the Kent Reliance Senior Trophy First Round last weekend.

The Medway outfit are sitting in fourteenth-place in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division table, having collected four wins and a draw from their 14 league games.

Newhaven, meanwhile, play at the same level as Lordswood and they arrive at Martyn Grove in tenth-place in the Southern Combination Premier Division table, with a playing record of four wins and four draws from their 13 league outings.

“This cup is one we are certainly taking seriously,” said Styles, who works for Charlton Athletic’s Community Trust.

“I’m a big fan of The FA Vase because I have some very good memories of this cup during my playing career, most recently three years’ ago when with Lordswood we managed to reach the Fourth Round where we were knocked out by (eventual winners) Spennymoor Town.

“It’s always nice to still be in this cup as the season continues as it creates a buzz in anticipation every time the next round is drawn.

“It’s a dream of mine to do as well, if not better in this competition as a manager than I did as a player, and there would be no better club to do it for than Lordswood.

“I feel my experience in this cup has helped with preparation for Saturday’s game and we have had a good week of training without any games meaning we have been able to put our full focus towards Saturday’s game.”

Styles said he is not expecting an easy ride from Newhaven on Saturday.

He said: “We are not expecting an easy tie. Newhaven will be tough opposition from Sussex and will want to win the tie as much as we do, but we have prepared as much as possible before going into the game.

“The boys know what is expected of them and how are we going to play, with the objective of winning the game in a professional manner.”

Styles revealed why there is extra motivation to win on Saturday, not just the £675 in prize money up for grabs for each First Round winner.

He said: “The club sadly lost a former player, manager and committee member Steve Bates this week, who lost his battle against cancer so the lads want to go out and give him a dedicated performance.

“It is my hope to obviously win the game so we can progress giving us a good bit of momentum going back into the league matches we have coming up.”

Styles has no new injury worries.  Tom Wooldridge continues on the sidelines through injury, but Dan Wells and Aiden Blanchard are back in contention after missing the win over Sporting Club Thamesmead last weekend.

Visit Lordswood’s website: www.lordswoodfc.co.uk

Lordswood  v  Newhaven
The Buildbase FA Vase First Round
Saturday 22^nd October 2016
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Martyn Grove, North Dane Way, Walderslade, Kent ME5 8YE