We can't afford to be complacent, says Croydon boss Dickson Gill

CROYDON head coach Dickson Gill says it’s vital to win at Raynes Park Vale on Saturday.

The Trams travel to Grand Drive in The FA Vase First Qualifying Round and Gill wants to get his hands on the £600 prize money with a victory.

Croydon are at the foot of the Southern Counties East Football League table having lost all four of their league games and have saved their better performances in the Cup.

They thrashed Sutton Common Rovers 5-1 at Croydon Sports Arena in The FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round, before beating league rivals Tunbridge Wells last night in a Preliminary Round Replay, after a 1-1 draw at Culverden Stadium at the weekend.

Lone striker Tristan Toney curled home Croydon’s opener in the 49^th minute, before Ian Parson’s came off the bench to curl home Tunbridge Wells’ equaliser with fourteen minutes remaining.

But a mistake by Tunbridge Wells’ right-back Gary Beckett saw Toney centre for winger Jamelle Hudson to sweep home the winner with only four minutes from time.

Hudson only signed for the club two weeks earlier, having plucked him out of local Sunday football.

Cash-strapped Croydon have banked £3,425 from prize money from their FA Cup run and there reward is a home tie against Ryman League Division One South side Molesey on 12 September, with the winners of that tie scooping a further £3,000 in prize money.

Gill revealed that prize money from The FA Cup and The FA Vase will go towards their £5,000 rent to Croydon Council to play at Croydon Sports Arena, which is resembling a building site at the moment as a local school build an Academy in the surrounding car park.

Raynes Park Vale welcome the Trams sitting in the top eight of the Combined Counties League Premier Division table.

They have won three and lost two of their league games so far this season and are six points adrift of league leaders Hartley Wintney.

“I want to win every game we play but I don’t want to get complacent,” said Gill.

“We’ve got to go there and do a job and win and work on the league later because it’s the early part of the year, it’s all Cups isn’t it?”

Subject to FA Vase results, Croydon welcome Sevenoaks Town to Croydon Sports Arena next Monday, 7^th September (7:45pm).

Micky Collins’ side host Horley Town in The FA Vase on Saturday and looking forward to the game, Gill added: “I went to watch them on Bank Holiday Monday. I went to watch Raynes Park and straight over to Sevenoaks.

“They’re quite a strong side, quite a big side as well and they play a bit of football as well.

“They’ll be quite exciting but one game at a time. We can win The FA Vase (game) first.”

Visit Croydon’s website: www.croydonfc.com

Raynes Park Vale v  Croydon
The FA Vase First Qualifying Round
Saturday 5^th September 2015
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Grand Drive, Raynes Park, London SW20 9NB