Sevenoaks Town are looking for another Cup run to emulate last season’s efforts that took them to the FA Cup Third Qualifying Round and a trip to Stonebridge Road.
In this season’s First Qualifying Round this weekend, they welcome a Whitehawk side they know well from two great tussles last season, and boss Harry Hudson is only too well aware what the Hawks will bring to Greatness Park this weekend.
Talking to KSN, he told us, “We’re at home, so that’s a positive,” he joked!
“If we were away to them, it would have possibly been one of the most difficult games to have been drawn in! So, we’re happy to be at home – it could have been a lot “easier” that’s for sure.”
“We are pretty strong at home so we’re looking forward to the game definitely. They’ve recruited well since their promotion, but the management team has changed the same and the core of the players are the same – we beat them here last year and lost away – so they won’t be an unknown quantity to us which is a big positive.”
“Both them and Chatham have equipped themselves really well in the higher League so far and done incredibly well and I think that shows the current strength of the South East division as that’s the case.”
“Whitehawk had a great Bank Holiday weekend with two wins against teams who are tipped to be at the top of the Premier at the end of the season in Billericay and Horsham – we’re looking forward to the challenge.”
Hudson saw his side lose to Ashford last Tuesday and at Chatham to a goal with the last kick before responding in some style with a 4-1 trouncing of East Grinstead at Greatness Park on Monday.
Reflecting the manager said, “I think if we don’t go down to ten against Ashford, we don’t lose the game – the manner of the 98th minute goal is really difficult to take and felt like a really low blow at the time.”
“Often a defeat like that can derail you, but the boys bounced back well and performed strongly on Monday and deserved the victory.”
“I think I would have taken six points from the first three League games at the start – I think a fair reflection would be seven out of nine but we’re not in a bad position and our home form has been very strong.”
Hudson then confirmed that skipper Matt Warren is hoped to be involved at the weekend after limping off on Monday.
“He went off with an ankle problem but we’re hopeful that he’ll be fine and apart from that we’ve no new issues. We’re still waiting for Rohan (Liburd) to come back up front, but he’s still not ready – he’s making good progress but isn’t ready yet.”