FA CUP SPECIAL: Hume expects a big performance from his side

MAIDSTONE UNITED joint-manager Lloyd Hume believes his side can “upset the odds” and knock AFC Wimbledon out of the FA Cup on Saturday, writes Stephen McCartney.

AFC Wimbledon may arrive at Bourne Park sitting proudly at the top of the Blue Square South table after 13 games, but the Stones are confident that they can reach the first round proper for the first time since 1987.

That season, the Stones defeated arch-rivals Dartford in the fourth qualifying round before beating Dagenham and Kidderminster, before bowing out to Sheffield United.

A crowd of at least 2,500 is expected to cram into Bourne Park on Saturday and Hume, who rested eight players for their midweek 2-1 win at AFC Hornchurch in the second qualifying round of the FA Carlsberg Trophy, is confident his side can cause a giant killing.

“I’m looking forward to it, of course I’m looking forward to it,” Hume told www.kentishfootball.co.uk following their midweek win in Essex.

“I’ve been looking forward to it since the draw came out. We’ve had them watched twice, they’re a good side, they’re entitled to be a good side with the money they’ve spent.

“But I’ve said it right from when the draw was made, this is a game, if we play well and perform to our maximum potential, we’ll win, and I certainly believe that.

“If we fall anywhere below our maximum and we don’t have a little bit of luck, then we’ll lose.

“I still believe it’s down to us. It’s how we perform on Saturday.

“They’re a very, very good side, but they’ve got eleven good players, including their goalkeeper.

“Let’s not hide from the fact, they pay three times the money as we do so on paper they should be that much better than us.

“But I’ll say it again, I’m not frightened about playing them. It’s a game if we perform to our maximum potential and we’ll have the rub of the green in certain areas, which we’ll always going to need in a cup game, we can upset the odds.

“They’re the firm favourites, we’re the underdogs and we love being that.”

Hume hopes Ian Selley, Ian Cox, Ben Lewis, Nathan Paul, Roland Edge and Kevin Watson will shake off knocks to help earn a place in the first round proper.

www.kentishfootball.co.uk will be covering this game.

Visit Maidstone United’s website: www.maidstoneunited.co.uk

Maidstone United v AFC Wimbledon
FA Cup (Sponsored by E.ON) Fourth Qualifying Round
Saturday 25^th October 2008
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Bourne Park, Central Park, Eurolink, Church Road, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 3SB