We're really excited to be back in The FA Cup but it's not a free hit because of the financial gains you can bring from it, says Holmesdale boss Lee Roots

HOLMESDALE manager Lee Roots says the club will be making a day of it for their first FA Cup tie in four years when they travel to Gillingham to take on their league rivals Hollands & Blair on Saturday.

 

The Bromley based club are in the top eight in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division table after opening their campaign with a 1-0 defeat at K Sports before bouncing back with a 4-2 win at Rusthall last night.

The Dalers were 4-0 up after 65 minutes, courtesy of goals from Rory Ward, Jordan Eels, a James White own goal and Nathan Palmer.

Jimmy Anderson’s side – whom like Kennington and Holmesdale were promoted from the First Division last season – then threw caution to the wind and pulled a couple of goals back through Luke Adams’ penalty and a tap-in from substitute Ihjah Currie-Wilson but are sitting at the bottom of the division going into the first hurdle of The FA Cup.

Simon Halsey’s Blair, meanwhile, are in eleventh-place in the pecking order after losing 3-1 at Erith & Belvedere on the opening day before bouncing back by beating Punjab United 2-1 on Tuesday night.

“We’re really excited, it’s the first time the club are back in The FA Cup,” said Roots.

“You know how important these days are for a club like us.  The new chairman (Keith Bird), everything they’ve been doing behind the club, we want to give a great day to the players’ and staff.

“We’re travelling by coach, a 30-seater coach and we watched Hollands & Blair on Tuesday night and we feel equipped but we wanted to get a win last night to take into that, so we’re all looking forward to it.

“It’s not a free hit because of the financial gains you can bring from it but it will be fun – but well be taking it seriously.”

Hollands & Blair  v  Holmesdale
The Emirates FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Saturday 7 August 2021
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Star Meadow, Darland Avenue, Gillingham, Kent ME7 3AN