Herne Bay's cracking run has spurred my boys on, says Lordswood boss Jason Lills

LORDSWOOD boss Jason Lillis says his side are feeling excited ahead of their FA Carlsberg Vase tie at table-toppers Egham Town on Saturday.



The former Maidstone United and Gillingham ace takes his side to Runneymede Stadium on Saturday in the First Round looking to go as far as they can in the competition.

The Medway side are enjoying their best season for many years this term and go into the game sitting in fifth-place in the Kent Hurlimann Football League table, with six wins out of eight outings.

Egham Town lie in top-place in the Combined Counties League top-flight with nine wins out of twelve and Lillis said: “I think the whole club is looking forward to it.   The players are really excited about another round in the FA Vase.

“Any Cup competition is exciting. Everyone’s up for it and preparing themselves well for it.

“We’ve had them watched twice now so we think we’ve got them in our minds now what we’re going to be doing.

“They try and pass the ball around so they’re a good passing team so we have to be on our mettle and make sure we close them down in the right areas.”

Lillis revealed that Herne Bay’s heroics in the competition last season –when Simon Halsey lead his side to the semi-finals when they were outmuscled by a workmanlike West Auckland Town side – has spurred on his side to replicate his former club.

“There’s an excitement to it because at the end of the day there’s always something at the end of it,” said Lillis.

“There’s bonus money for the club.  It’s the big Cup competition for non-league players at our level.

“Herne Bay had a cracking run in it last year. Simon and the boys done tremendously well and all the boys have been spurred on.

“If they can do it why can’t we have a shot of it? There’s always that excitement and belief that they can get through to the next round.

Like the rest of us, Lillis was proud that Herne Bay came so agonisingly close to reaching Wembley.

He said: “What it done it put the county on the map. Obviously I’ve got good feelings for the club because I was there for years and had a good time there and I took some of the lads who were on that run to the club.

“I was really, really pleased that they done it but like I said they’ve set the mantle now for everyone else to have a bash at it – and why not?

“Wembley? Well, we’re not getting carried away about getting that far, but all we’re doing is it’s just another tick in the box if we get through this one and hopefully we’ll get a nice draw.”

Reflecting on his side’s lofty League position, Lillis said: “We’ve only played eight games I think it is and we’ve only played three at home and we’re sitting fifth now with games in hand. I can’t complain at all.  Usually we’re down the other end of the table aren’t we?

“I’ve brought in a bit of experience this year and players have stepped up to the mark this year.

“I think the key to us having a bit of success is we’re keeping the players together and they’ve got a bit of unity and what you find with clubs who have players and if they’re not happy they’ll go. They don’t get the sort of solid base of what you need to work with. You don’t know when the next player is about to leave.”

When asked whether other clubs have approached their best players, Lillis replied, “No!  If they did I don’t think they’d go anyway.  I’ve spoken to a few players and they’re just really happy playing. It’s a lovely club. The players get on with each other really well. They’ve got a good unity. It’s a family club, their wives, girlfriends and families come up and it’s a nice place to play football, so why should they go anywhere else?”

Visit Lordswood’s website:  www.lordswoodfc.co.uk

Egham Town  v  Lordswood
The FA Carlsberg Vase First Round
Saturday 13^th October 2012
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Runneymede Stadium, Wards Place, Egham, Surrey TW20 8XD