I have been questioning my own abilities as manager but after much reflection I know I can turn this around, says defiant Lydd Town boss Liam Smith

LYDD TOWN manager Liam Smith says he wants his underdogs to pull off a FA Vase upset when they welcome debutants Punjab United to The Lindsey Field tomorrow.

Lydd Town are making their home debut in the competition, while Punjab United are making their first appearance.

Lydd Town have suffered heavy back-to-back home defeats going into the First Qualifying Round tie, having lost 5-1 to Holmesdale, followed by a 4-0 thrashing by Kennington and Smith insists he is the man to turn around the clubs fortunes.

Smith’s side go into the game sitting in thirteenth-place in the Southern Counties East Football League First Division table with one win and a draw from their opening six league outings.

Gravesend-based side Punjab United are in 12^th place in the Premier Division table, having collected one win and three draws from their opening six games at this level of football.

They travel down to the coast on a run of five games without a win but Smith wants his side to bounce back and pull off a cup upset.

“We have a special occasion as we welcome Punjab United for our first ever home FA Vase game,” said Smith.

“Last season was our first year in The FA Vase as we played and lost to Chessington & Hook United away but tomorrow is much more special for our football club as we get to play at home.

“Punjab, who have been recently promoted to the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division, have started strongly and will want to do well in this competition as they are new to it also.

“Last season we had two extremely tight and enjoyable games against Punjab last season, the home fixture finishing all-square at 1-1 and us narrowly losing the away fixture 4-3 in a game that had everything and we were very unlucky to lose.

“As for ourselves everyone knows we have had a poor start to the season and I have been questioning my own abilities as manager but after much reflection I know I can turn this around with the support that has been shown to me already this season.  I will work harder and longer to improve this team.

“If you look at the points we have won this season it’s against two very tough opponents and even though we lost on Monday there was more positives than negatives.

“Tomorrow is a free hit for us as Punjab are in a higher division but I never go into a game thinking the worse.

“We come into the game as underdogs, of course, but the message I want to get across to everyone is enjoy this special day and get behind the underdogs as football is a funny old game.”

Visit Lydd Town’s website:  www.lyddtownfc.co.uk

Lydd Town  v  Punjab United
The Buildbase FA Vase First Qualifying Round
Saturday 1 September 2018
Kick Off 3:00pm
at The Lindsey Field, Dengemarsh Road, Lydd, Kent TN29 9JH