Boss relishing FA Cup tie...
THERE'S no denying that it's a tough draw, one of the toughest we could have been given at this stage of the competition, but having faced them earlier in the season, it is an encounter that we are looking forward to.Our performances have been consistent, particularly away from home, and we go into the game knowing that we got a deserved draw their last time despite playing for 70 minutes with ten men after Andy Butler was wrongly sent off.
We won't fear them and by the same token, they won't fear us. It's makes for a good game; they've started the season extremely well, possibly better than they expected, and have taken the momentum from the end of last season with them into the current campaign.
They deserve to be top of the table. They've got some quality in their team and plenty of attacking options. Russell Slade has been very astute in what he has done there and being my former club, I am happy to see things going well for them, although sentiment will have to go out of the window on Saturday!
The FA Cup always stirs up plenty of memories for both players and supporters alike. It's about getting our preparation right and ensuring that we are in that third round.
We want to win every game we are involved in and progress in every competition that we enter. To get as far as we can in the FA Cup would be fantastic for the club.
There are a lot of things in football that we can't control, but we can control our own performances and that is what we will do and I have been pleased with our level of performance so far.
The players keep pushing each other and that is important if we are to progress.
DEAN SMITH