We've got to polish up on our defending - Yorath

Tuesday 15th September 2009

MARGATE boss Terry Yorath has told his side to be defensively strong as they bid to secure a home tie against Uxbridge in the next round of the FA Cup tonight, writes Stephen McCartney.

Margate let slip a 2-0 lead at Hartsdown Park on Saturday, as Sutton United scored at the end of each half to bring the Thanet side back to Gander Green Lane for tonight’s first qualifying round replay.

Yorath has unhappy memories from his last visit to Gander Green Lane, going down to a 4-0 defeat on the opening day of this season.

Yorath, who is without defender Dan Young (knee) tonight, has told his players to withstand Sutton’s pressure and clinch the victory and help the club bank a much-needed £3,000 in prize money.

“Well, we done enough in the first half on Saturday to show that we’ve improve a bit and really we should have won the game,” Yorath told www.kentishfootball.co.uk at lunchtime today.

“But we conceded a goal just before half-time and a goal just before the end, so if we can polish up our defending then I think we’ll be ok.

“We’ve got the people to do the job, but concentration is the big thing with them.

“I’m going into the game, it’s a cup tie, anything can happen and I know we’ll be doing our best to win the game.”

The Welshman added, “Sutton are a decent side. They beat us 4-0 earlier on in the season and they play heavily in getting balls into your box as quickly ass possible. That’s why they’re a hard side to beat.”

Sutton United manager Paul Doswell was pleased that his side fought back at Hartsdown Park, and he is expecting another tough tussle tonight.

“The main feeling is one of relief that we’re still in the draw and we’ve got another chance in the replay,” he told www.suttonunited.net.

“We’re still some way off where I want us to be, but it is still only September.

He added: “When you’re playing against Margate, Aaron Lacy’s long throws mean that you’ve got to defend well, and you’ve got to defend the seconds even better, and obviously to conceded both goals from set pieces is disappointing.

“We’ve still got the be wary. Margate’s best results have come away from home, such as their (3-0) win at Aveley, but what I would say is that, looking at the levels of fitness between the sides, it may depend on how they recover.”

With tonight’s game expected to be played in horrible wet conditions, Doswell believes the fitter team will win tonight’s encounter.

“They’ve got three or four who haven’t played much this season, and haven’t trained too much pre-season, so it’s what they’ve got left in their tank for Tuesday night,” he said.

“But I never expect us to get beaten at Gander Green Lane and if you’d offered me this before the game I’d happily have taken it.”

www.kentishfootball.co.uk will be covering this game.

Visit Margate’s website: www.margate-fc.com

Quotes courtesy of www.suttonunited.net

Sutton United v Margate

FA Cup (Sponsored by E.ON) First Qualifying Round Replay

Tuesday 15th September 2009

Kick Off 7:45pm

At The Borough Sports Ground, Gander Green Lane, Sutton, Surrey SM1 2EY