Stones welcome managerless Fish for FA Cup clash

MAIDSTONE UNITED joint-manager Alan Walker believes their managerless FA Cup opponents, Fisher Athletic, will not lie down and die tomorrow, writes Stephen McCartney.

The south Londoners are reeling after boss Wayne Burnett parted company with the Blue Square South club and was unveiled the new manager of Blue Square Premier outfit Grays Athletic three days ago.

Burnett will officially take charge of the Essex club form Monday, 29^th September.

Burnett has plenty of football experience, having been with the likes of Blackburn Rovers, Plymouth Argyle, Bolton Wanderers, Huddersfield Town and Grimsby Town.

He took over as first team manager of Fisher Athletic in 2004 and saw them promoted to the Ryman Premier League at his first attempt.

He then took the helm at landlords Dulwich Hamlet and helped them rise from relegation trouble to a play-off position in only three months before returning to the Fish - currently the lowest supported club in the Blue Square South division.

But the Stones go into the game with a few injury concerns of their own, but Jay Saunders has been drafted into the side for the Bourne Park second qualifying round clash.

And despite Fisher Athletic's problems, Walker fancies his side's chances.

“Fisher Athletic are a club in turmoil at the moment but we know that will make their players react
in one or two ways,” Walker told www.maidstoneunited.co.uk.

“Either the players will throw the towel in or the situation will galvanise them and make them perform well, especially because their future manager is likely to be at Bourne Park tomorrow.

“We go into the FA Cup tie against Fisher as the underdogs. Their budget is way in excess of ours and they have the experience of having played a number of seasons at Conference South level.

“However, I hope we can stamp our authority on them early on and get them mentally to throw the towel in so that we can progress to the next round.”

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

Maidstone United v Fisher Athletic
FA Cup (Sponsored by E.ON) Second Qualifying Round
Saturday 27^th September 2008
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Bourne Park, Central Park, Eurolink, Church Road, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 3SB