It’s when you have a disappointment or a set-back like we had in The FA Cup is when management teams earn their corn, says Sittingbourne boss Nick Davis

SITTINGBOURNE manager Nick Davis says there’s a big incentive to send Walton Casuals crashing out of The FA Trophy on Sunday afternoon.

The Brickies play their Ryman League Division One South rivals in the Preliminary Round with £2,500 in prize money up for grabs.

“There’s prize money on the table and so a big incentive to win and progress,” said Davis.

“It’s a nice distraction from the league and it gives teams an opportunity to go on a run and with that brings great excitement for the players and fans alike.

“Personally for me it is great for team spirit and obviously for the club financially. It’s not so great for the backlog of games, injuries and suspensions and maybe we suffered a little through that in The FA Cup.

“Ever since the draw, like all managers, I suppose we have monitored our opponents progress and they had a real slow start to the season losing the first few.

“Since then they have won four on the bounce at home and so it’s going to be really tough.

“We have already played there once this season and we were magnificent against Merstham and we are going to have to be equally as good to stay in the hat.”

Sittingbourne haves slipped down to ninth-place in the Ryman League Division One South table, having collected six wins and five defeats from their 11 league outings.

Walton Casuals go into the game one place lower in the table, having won six and lost six.

Sittingbourne go into the game on a run of losing their last three games and Davis wants to get their season back on track after being knocked out of the FA Cup by lower-league Hoddesdon Town last weekend.

He said: “When things are going well it’s relatively easy to be a manager, it’s when you have a disappointment or a set-back like we had in The FA Cup is when management teams earn their corn.”

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

Walton Casuals  v  Sittingbourne
The FA Trophy Preliminary Round
Sunday 4^th October 2015
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Moatside Stadium, Weldon Way, Merstham, Surrey RH1 3QB