Number cruncher Abbott dreams of Folkestone Cup clash

Wednesday 26th August 2009

SITTINGBOURNE boss Gary Abbott knows how important it is to get through Saturday’s FA Cup preliminary round tie against minnows Horley Town, writes Stephen McCartney.

The cash-strapped Bourne Park outfit are desperate to bank the £1,500 in prize money if they knock out the Surrey side.

Victory could set up a potential lucrative Kent derby at Folkestone Invicta in the next round (if Neil Cugley’s side beat AFC Hayes) and with £3,000 in prize money up for grabs in the next round, Abbott knows his side must avoid defeat.

“I don’t want to keep going on about the budget all the time,” Abbott told www.kentishfootball.co.uk. “It’s hard to get players in at the moment. You can’t go around offering people like £30 or £40, they’re not going to play for you.”

He added: “Fifteen hundred quid, obviously that’s why everyone wants to win FA Cup games. Hopefully we go into Folkestone with three or four hundred people there.”

Horley arrive at Bourne Park sitting in 12th place in the top-flight of Combined Counties League football, having avoided defeat against Egham Town (1-1), Banstead Athletic (4-0), Dorking (3-0) and Badshot Lea (3-3).

But upbeat Abbott insists his Sittingbourne side have enough about them to progress to the next round.

“I don’t know nothing at all about them to be honest,” he admitted. “I don’t even know what league they play in!

“We’ll worry about ourselves. If we perform then we will go through. We’ve got Horley, don’t take them for granted. I’ve been around long enough to know what the FA Cup speaks for itself. No mater who you play there’s always an upset.

“We’re at home, we’re going to be positive on Saturday. We’ll try our hardest, don’t take them lightly, attack a lot more and yes, we’ll go through.

“We’ve got a nice draw after that, let’s not get carried away, and beat Horley first.”

But a first qualifying round tie between Folkestone Invicta and Sittingbourne has a nice ring to it - and Abbott agrees.

“I’m happy with that draw,” he said. “Obviously you want to get a low side again, but they won’t like us coming to them. The pressure’s on them. It’s a nice pitch (at Cheriton Road) and we can play on that.

“It will be a good game, but we’ll worry about that after Saturday. We’ve got to be focused for Saturday.”

Sittingbourne are currently sitting in 6th place in the Ryman League Division One South table - one league above Horley.

“I suppose I’ve got to be happy with the start really considering,” Abbott reflected.

“I can’t fault the boys effort at the moment, especially the Worthing game (which we lost 1-0 away from home).

“It was important to bounce back really and important to get three points from Ashford.

“I think we deserved the win,” he added on last night‘s game against bitter rivals Ashford Town. “We started off so well, as we did against Chipstead, and we didn’t score.

“I just thought it was going to be another night like Chipstead. We did everything apart from score!

“They didn’t hurt us. Paul Jones up front, I would love to have him in our side. He’s so strong, keeps the ball every time it comes up, obviously we couldn’t afford him anyway.

“The second half we got the goal that we deserved. They had a good 15-20 minutes with the equaliser with Jones.

“We stepped it up and I think the goal eventually came. Bourney (Matt Bourne) could have had four goals last night, that’s not exaggerating!

“I want to beat everyone, it’s just a little bit nicer to beat Ashford, yes, of course it is!

Abbott revealed that Bradley Spice continues to be on the sidelines through a back injury, although the striker could be included next weekend.

Visit Sittingbourne’s website: www.sittingbournefc.co.uk

Sittingbourne v Horley Town

FA Cup (Sponsored by E.ON) Preliminary Round

Saturday 29th August 2009

Kick Off 3:00pm

At Bourne Park, Central Park, Eurolink, Church Road, Sittingbourne ME10 3SB