Pitch may be a Tad boggy - Town keeper Stevens

[FF News]

Highworth Town keeper Gary Stevens believes that Tadcaster Albion will not enjoying playing at the Elms tomorrow, in their FA Vase Quarter Final tomorrow.

The Worthians entertain the Toolstation Northern Counties East League Premier Division leaders with a place in the FA Vase semi-finals at stake. “The Elms can be a bit boggy when it gets wet,” Stevens said in the Swindon Advertiser. “To be honest, I don’t think Tadcaster will like it, it won’t be anything like the carpets they get up north.”

The custodian, who saved three penalties – one inside the 90 minutes – in the fourth round replay at Kent, is relishing seeing the Elms packed to the rafters. Having played in front of around 70 fans each week in the Hellenic League Premier Division, more than 700 supporters are expected to fill the Elms, with the visitors likely to bring in excess of 300.

But Stevens is hoping that the ones that get behind his goal tomorrow are not as bad as the ones at Tunbridge. “I got a fair bit of stick there,” the 26-year-old said. “When I was playing in the Toolstation (Western) League for Radstock Town it did get to me a bit as I was younger.

But now I just take it, and give a bit back – it is just banter at the end of the day. To be honest I’m pretty excited about the game, I know a few of the lads might get a little nervous, but I can’t wait. Johnny Davs (Davoile) and Max (Aaron Maximen) will get us all fired up – they will be massive before the game. What Fish (John Fisher) has to say is to the point – it is so critical, but to be honest he is quite reserved.”

John Fisher says that they are now at ‘twitchy bum time’ as he prepares his side for the biggest game in the club’s history, the veteran boss knows just how close he is to leading his team out in a Wembley final.

While Fisher has been the king of cool throughout the competition, he says a lot more thought has gone into their game with the Toolstation Northern Counties East League Premier Division leaders.

“The last round wasn’t too bad for me,” said Fisher. “I didn’t really think about it, but this week I have been going over a lot of things in my head. “I have been thinking the best way to go about it – I wasn’t like that for the previous game.

There have been a few nerves. Of course, it would be a dream to play at Wembley for the players and it would be a dream for a manager to lead your team out there too, so we are getting to twitchy bum time. “It is so close, we don’t want it to be a case of so near yet so far.”

Fisher, who will have a full squad to pick from for the game, says that this match is as big as when he led them to the Hellenic League title back in 2005.

“Quite truthfully for me this is as big as the time we had to go to Wootton Bassett to win the league,” the Worthians boss said. “I know a lot of people are saying this is the biggest game in the club’s history, but I think this is on par with that Wootton Bassett game in 2005.

If we get through this game then that really would be the biggest game for me. We had to go there (Bassett) and win, we couldn’t afford to draw – only a win would do. Bassett had already been relegated, but no way did they want us going there and winning the league on their pitch. If we can do the same as we did back then – we won 3-0 that day – I’ll be a very happy man.”

Source: www.hellenicleague.co.uk

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