Kentish Football 
Reaching FA Cup First Round is a realistic target for us, says Dover Athletic boss Martin Hayes
Wednesday 22nd September 2010
DOVER ATHLETIC boss Martin Hayes says his side will have enough to get past Kent League side Erith Town in the FA Cup on Saturday if his players put in a professional performance, writes Stephen McCartney.
The Whites arrive at the Erith Sports Stadium sitting in third place in the Blue Square Bet South table, with a record of six wins and two draws from nine games and play three league’s higher than the Dockers.
But all that counts for nothing when the magic of the FA Cup comes around.
Looking forward to the Second Qualifying Round clash, Hayes told www.kentishfootball.co.uk: “Everyone’s commented, it’s great on paper, it’s a good draw. We’ve got a Kent League side, we’re away from home.
“It’s a big game for them, it’s their Cup final, with a big crowd and a good atmosphere. We have to go to modest surroundings, the pitch and the changing rooms, and the players have to go with the right attitude.
“It’s a game we should win but we have to do the right things to win it.
“It’s a massive game for both sides. I want us to be in the first round of the FA Cup this year, which will be great for the players and the fans and the profile of the club, but to achieve that we have to go to Erith and get a result so however we get a result we have to go there and win.”
Despite spending seven years at Arsenal, Hayes spoke about his FA Cup pedigree.
“To be honest, twice we got to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and we lost both of them to Highbury,” the 44-year-old reflected disappointingly.
“We were more successful in the League Cup, we won that once. But the FA Cup is massive. It’s the best competition in the world and I want to stay in it for as long as we can.”
Dover Athletic’s FA Cup record - getting to the first round proper - is pretty bleak and Hayes has played some part in that.
“It’s one of those things, you can’t put your finger on,” he said. “Unfortunately when I was at Bishop’s Stortford we knocked Dover out of the FA Cup in the fourth qualifying round and that put us in the first round proper.
“I got there on two occasions in the last six years and they were great occasions. You’re on Match of the Day, the fans love it and the media hype that goes with it.
“We went up to Mansfield and you played in a proper stadium. Everything about it is a great day and a great occasion and that’s what I want the players to strive to be involved in.
“It’s great as a manager, the fans will love it, an away trop to a Football League stadium. I’m sure more would have liked Gillingham (in the first round), but it’s one we’ve got to wait and see.
“With the squad we’ve got it’s a realistic target for us to hopefully stay in the Cup and try and be in that first round draw somewhere.”
Looking ahead to Saturday’s game away to Erith Town, Hayes will treat them with the respect they deserve - if they don’t then they will be on the end of a giant-killing.
“We’re not going to treat them lightly,” said Hayes. “It’s one of those games. With all due respect, if we play and do things we should we will be ok but if we choose to have an off day and don’t do things right then we will be in trouble.
“It’s more important for my players to turn up and do the right things, which will give us every chance to avoid an upset.”
Erith Town manager, Steve O’Boyle, meanwhile, will do everything he can to ensure his side pull off their biggest FA Cup giant-killing - but be warned the Dockers dumped AFC Wimbledon out of the London Senior Cup at Kingsmeadow two years ago.
“The AFC Wimbledon night for me was brilliant, but it was the London Senior Cup,” O’Boyle, whose side knocked out Slough Town in the last round, told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.
“Everyone wants to play in the FA Cup and we’ve had a good little run in it. It’s been great. I’d say the Slough game was a bonus for us, not many people expected us to beat them and all we can say is it’s 11-verus-11.
“We’re going to give it our best shot. If my boys give 100% and they beat us, so be it.
“Dover are going to come down with a lot of supporters. All I would say is anyone who is half interested in local football please come down and support us. We might need a few!”
But can the former Thamesmead Town reserve team boss outfox someone that played over 100 games for Arsenal?
“Never say never do you? Never say never!” replied O’Boyle.
“But I will say to you, the way we’re playing we’ve got half a chance, with a little bit of luck, you never know.”
Visit Erith Town’s website: www.erithtownfc.co.uk
Visit Dover Athletic’s website: www.doverathletic.com
Erith Town v Dover Athletic
FA Cup (Sponsored by E.ON) Second Qualifying Round
Saturday 25th September 2010
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Erith Sports Stadium, Avenue Road, Erith, Kent DA8 3AT
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd