Smith ready for top-flight test...
WE'RE relishing the opportunity to take on a Premier League outfit here this evening, and it promises to be a great occasion for the club.We worked extremely hard in the previous round at Southend to set up tonight’s encounter and a similar work ethic and commitment is going to be required if we are to give ourselves a chance of making further progress.
It is great that we have been drawn at home against a Premier League team having been away in the last couple of seasons, and it will give the supporters the opportunity to see their team tackle top opposition.
A good Cup run could really galvanize us and we will be aiming to play some of the neat and attractive football that has been the hallmark of the football club over the past couple of seasons.
We know that we have to be more clinical; but the important thing is that we are getting into the positions and creating chances.
It’s a case of getting the basics right. The players are progressing and improving and that will help us move in the right direction.
I have every faith in the quality and ability that we have within our ranks here and with a number of key players still to return from injury, we have some good options all over the field.
The younger members of the group have also stepped up to the plate, with the likes of Liam Kinsella really making their mark in these early weeks of the campaign.
Crystal Palace have quality throughout their ranks and having finished 11th in the Premier League at the end of last season, they will be looking to build upon that under new management.
Thank you for your valued support this evening. Let’s create a fantastic Cup atmosphere under the Banks’s Stadium floodlights and give ourselves the best possible chance of getting the result that we all crave.
DEAN SMITH