HYTHE HEROES: HEREFORD AWAY - IT FEELS LIKE WE'VE WON THE FA CUP - SAYS SKIPPER DAVE COOK

Sunday 24th October 2010

HYTHE TOWN captain Dave Cook says he is relishing the Kent League heroes trip to Hereford United in the FA Cup First Round - saying you dream about games like this as a youngster, writes Stephen McCartney.

The 26-year-old central midfielder has played in all six of the club’s FA Cup games, scoring four of his eight goals this season in the Greatest Cup Competition in the World.

Hythe Town became the first Kent League side to reach the FA Cup First Round for 53 years, following an excellent 2-0 win over a Staines Town side that play three league’s higher in Blue Square Bet South - the club’s greatest achievement.

This will be the first time that Hythe have ever featured in the First Round, following wins over Bookham (in the Extra Preliminary Round on 14 August), Deal Town, Epsom & Ewell and Erith & Belvedere and giant killing acts at Concord Rangers (with Cook scoring the only goal of the game away to the Ryman Premier League side) and yesterday’s win over Staines.

Ashford resident Cook, who was speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk following the draw was made by SKY Sports‘ Soccer AM presenter and Torquay United fan Helen Chamberlain and Brighton & Hove Albion fan Norman Cook (Aka Fatboy Slim) live on ITV this lunchtime, is relishing the game against the Football League’s basement side.

Hereford have failed to win a single League game at Edgar Street this season - and Scott Porter and his side have enough in their locker to become legends if they emulate their heroics of the last two qualifying rounds.

“It ain’t really sunk in to be honest,” admitted Cook. “I was sitting there watching the telly just a minute ago watching the draw come on. It’s weird to be honest, looking at it.

“You dream about these things, your name being in the hat and being pulled out, unbelievable!

“When you’re a youngster and you’re looking at the telly watching the FA Cup, it don’t really sink in. It hasn’t really sunk in to be honest.”

Looking forward to the Edgar Street clash, bricklayer Cook wants to be the non-league player who grabs all the national headlines by scoring the goal that knocks the League Two strugglers out of the FA Cup.

He said: “Well, they’re rock bottom aren’t they? Hopefully, all the managers are saying it’s winnable so we’ll have to wait and see. I don’t want to count my chickens yet.

“You want to play as high as we can, but we have to see how we go to be honest. It’s going to be like a dream come true playing in the FA Cup. Hopefully we can get a big support down there and hopefully we can progress.”

Reachfields Stadium was rocking following yesterday’s excellent 2-0 win over Staines Town - just imagine what it will be like by beating the Bulls?

“Well, if that happens, well, I don’t know what feelings will come across all the boys,” said Cook.

“At the moment we’re buzzing. Getting this far, it feels like we’ve won the FA Cup.”

When asked whether Hythe can beat Hereford on their own patch, Cook hesitated before replying, “You’ve put me on the spot now! I would like to think we could, yes. If we get at them and go with a game plan and do what we’ve got to do.

“The belief around the club is unreal at the moment. We’re all buzzing. I’ll put myself out there and say hopefully we can bring them back to Hythe.

“It ain’t sunk in yet. Even looking at the telly, it’s unreal, seeing yourself amongst all those big teams with players earning those massive wages and you’re trying to compete against them. It’s what you dream about as a kid. It’s unreal.”

Two wins away from playing against the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and his beloved side - Crystal Palace - currently second-from-bottom in the Npower Championship.

“Imagine that, Palace! I remember sitting in the Holmesdale end watching them boys, but they aren’t doing too well this year. You never know, if we get them.”

Central defender, Lee Shearer, meanwhile, who celebrated his 34th birthday by keeping the likes of former Gillingham striker Leroy Griffiths and Marc Charles-Smith quiet, is also relishing the Hereford game, to be played either 6 or 7 November.

“This is what the FA Cup is all about,” Shearer told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“It’s a one-off game, that’s why it’s so special. It’s the FA Cup, it’s the best competition in the world and we’re in the First Round!”

Hereford were held to a 1-1 draw by Accrington Stanley on Saturday - in front of a crowd of 2,434 fans - but are two points adrift of safety after thirteen games and have yet won a league game at home this season.

Visit Hythe Town’s website: www.hythetownfc.co.uk