We'll go to Eastbourne with our eyes wide open, says Corinthian boss Matt Longhurst

CORINTHIAN manager Matt Longhurst hopes his side progress past The FA Cup Preliminary Round for the first time in eighteen years on Saturday.

Corinthian defeated their Southern Counties East Football League rivals Beckenham Town with a 2-1 win at Eden Park Avenue a couple of weeks ago and travel to Eastbourne Town on Saturday.

The east Sussex outfit are rooted to the foot of the Ryman League Division One South table with one point from their opening six games and head coach Tony Reid has replaced Kevin Laundon, who missed four games due to work commitments.

Corinthian go into the game sitting in eighth-place in the table, having won two of their opening three games and confidence is high within the camp that they can progress through to the next round.

“We’ve watched them and we’ve had two reports on them as well so we’re going into the tie with our eyes wide open so we know what to expect pretty much,” said Longhurst.

However, Longhurst admitted all his plans may be thrown out of the window of Reid brings in his own players leading up to Saturday’s game.

He said: “He’s going to potentially make some changes. I don’t know if that’s going to happen, but certainly from the information I’ve got there’s four or five players that have left over the last couple of games so I imagine our reports might slightly differ from the team that they’ll put out on Saturday, but having said that they’ve only got one point from six games.

“They’re going to be the favourites going into the tie being in the league above so the pressure is on them to beat us, so I would say, with possible changes it might be a little bit more difficult than we expect.”

Corinthian have won eight FA Cup ties in their history, but the furthest that they have gone in the competition was back in season 1993-94 when they reached the second qualifying round when the Fawkham-based outfit defeated Croydon Athletic 3-0 at home before going out 2-0 at Molesey.

However, in recent history, they have defeated Dorking and Croydon in the Extra Preliminary Round in the past two seasons, before crashing out to Maidstone United (9-0 in 2011) and last season their run was ended by Slough Town.

“We go into the game with plenty of confidence. We’ve lost one of our first four games, we’ve beaten Beckenham away in the FA Cup, which was a difficult game over there.

“I know the club would like us to have a little run in it this year.  I think the second qualifying round is the furthest we’ve gone.

“We’ve never got past this as a club so it will be nice for the club to get beyond that.

“There’s £1,925 up for grabs as well so we could potentially put in four grand in to the kitty, which is good for our club.

“The FA Cup has got a history of the underdog turning over teams, so I certainly feel we can add to that list.”

Longhurst said he would like to smash another record in this season’s FA Cup competition.

“Over the last couple of years, since I’ve taken over, we’ve beaten Deal 10-0, which was the highest score,” he recalled.

“We’ve finished seventh, which was a record highest finish, we then finished fourth, which was a record highest finish.

“We had the leading goalscorer in senior football for the first time with Alfie (May) and then we won the club’s first senior trophy in the Charity Shield. Prior to that two years ago was the first time the club was represented in a first senior cup final – and again a year later.

“Hopefully this could add to that list.  Hopefully we can do that on Saturday. We’re looking to go down there to win the game without a doubt.”

The winners of Saturday’s game will play at home to either Tunbridge Wells or Whitstable Town in the First Qualifying Round on 14 September.

Tunbridge Wells – who top the Southern Counties East Football League – are favourites to beat a Whitstable Town side that sit in the bottom seven in the league above.

“To be honest, we played Whitstable in pre-season. Pre-season is pre-season. We know lots about Tunbridge Wells, there’s been lots of coverage with those guys over the last year with them reaching Wembley (in the FA Vase Final.)

“I fancy Tunbridge Wells to potentially win that game. It will be interesting to get Tunbridge Wells at home in the FA Cup.  Ourselves and Beckenham said before the last round that you’re disappointed to play teams within our league, especially when it’s a national cup competition.

“We’ll take each game as it comes. If we can get into the next round, we’ll worry about who we get next after that.”

The Corinthian manager expressed his feelings about losing striker Alfie May, 20, to Ryman League Division One North side Chatham Town earlier in the month.

“I’ve known Alfie since he was born. We took him out of park football and put him in the reserves for a season and he came into the first team the season before last and he dipped in and out and scored six goals in the last ten games.

“He started in the first team last year and done great. Perhaps a few people around him and other club’s phoning him and talking to him during the course of the summer and towards the end of last year, maybe he’s attitude slightly changed which was slightly disappointing and I spoke to him and he decided to stay.

“We had another chat after the Phoenix game and both of us felt it was the right thing for him to move on and play at a higher level.

“I’ve spoken to him every day since he’s left. Whether he’s gone to the right club only time will tell. He’s scored three goals in four games for them.

“I’d like to think the kid can go on and play at a much higher level than Ryman North in the next eighteen months and hopefully I hope it works out for him.”

Reflecting on his side’s start to the league, Longhurst said: “We’ve played three in the league, won two and lost one.  Disappointed to lose to Phoenix. I thought we were by far the better side on the night.

“We’ve stuttered along a little bit. Pre-season was brilliant, played some good stuff during the course of pre-season. We were very good in the Charity Shield.

“We’ve got one or two injuries that we’re contending with at the moment. Overall I’m quite happy how we’ve started.”

Visit Corinthian’s website: www.pitchero.com/clubs/corinthianfc

Eastbourne Town  v  Corinthian
The FA Cup with Budweiser Preliminary Round
Saturday 31^st August 2013
Kick Off 3:00pm
at The Saffrons, Compton Place Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 1EA