We are confident of causing an upset, says Corinthian boss Michael Golding

CORINTHIAN manager Michael Golding says the pressure is all on their league rivals Ashford United going into Saturday’s FA Cup tie.

Golding takes his side to Homelands Stadium to contest a Kent derby in the Extra Preliminary Round on the opening day of the new season.


Corinthian play at Gay Dawn Farm in Longfield
Photo: Corinthian FC

Corinthian continue to defy all the odds as they finish in the top reaches of the Southern Counties East Football League as an amateur side. 

The Hoops finished in sixth-place last term and Golding has continued the success that was achieved by Matt Longhurst before he switched to Erith & Belvedere and then onto Ryman League Division One South side East Grinstead Town.

Golding has deliberately tested his side during pre-season playing some higher league outfits to prepare for Saturday’s FA Cup tie.

He said: “Pre-season has been good fun with a very hard fixture list against strong higher league opposition but the boys have learnt from each fixture and taken on board the information given to them and tried to implement it in each subsequent game with improving performances and results throughout the pre-season period.

“We have managed to retain the majority of last years’ squad and have also added some exciting talents to complement the existing players, which we feel stands us in good stead for the upcoming season and we are confident on improving on last years’ finish.

“The target for the season is firstly to improve on last year sixth-place finish, where we felt we slightly underachieved. Whilst fully appreciating how hard this will be with the money being spent and some of the strong squads that have been assembled by our rivals.”

Not one manager in the SCEFL Premier or First Division are happy kicking off their new campaign with a FA Cup tie.

Golding said: “The FA Cup game being the first fixture of the season isn’t ideal and we would have preferred a league game or two before, but there is nothing we can do about it and are fully prepared for a tough game on Saturday.

“We go into the Cup game as underdogs against an Ashford side that I expect will do very well in the league this season, but we are confident of causing an upset and will be going with a game plan to try and achieve that.”

Danny Lye guided Ashford United to third-place in the Southern Counties East Football League behind Greenwich Borough and Hollands & Blair, the Kent Senior Trophy Final when they lost on penalties after a goal-less draw to Sheppey United, and to the FA Vase Quarter-Finals, where they went down to a 3-0 defeat at Salisbury City.

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

Ashford United  v  Corinthian
The Emirates FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Saturday 6^th August 2016
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Homelands Stadium, Ashford Road, Kingsnorth, Ashford, Kent TN26 1NJ