Say it quietly but by 5.00pm on Saturday afternoon, Punjab United could be Wembley bound in the ISUZU FA Vase.
Last weekend, skipper Wayne Bushell gave the Gravesend side the early lead only for a controversial late Cockfosters goal to deny Chipie Sian’s side a clear advantage going into this weekend’s second leg.
We caught up with Sian this week and as ever, he was in buoyant form and told us, “I think we got the tactics near enough spot-on last weekend against a good Cockfosters side. We battled really well and thought first half we were excellent and we defended absolutely brilliantly second half when they have the weather behind them.
“We just got caught in the end and I still don’t know how the assistant could see if the ball had crossed the line or not but it is what it is and we have to live with it – overall to go away from home in the semi-final of a national competition and come back with a drawer, we’re all over the moon with it!”
And because of the 1-1 draw, Punjab are now just ninety minutes from Wembley! “Did you really just say that?”, a glowing Punjab boss said to us. “I never thought anyone would say that to me. It’s amazing – all week it has been hard to sleep; we are all just so excited and thinking about the game coming up! People are buzzing and the whole town of Gravesend has just gone mental! It’s an amazing feeling that we are only ninety minutes away!”
“It was one of those weird games where the weather played its part and I thought Wayne’s goal was a good goal in the middle of a good start for us. We went there with no fear – we told the boys not to fear anyone but to go out there and play our way and we will be fine.”
“I felt comfortable throughout the game,” Sian went on, “I didn’t feel as if we would be overrun and we weren’t! I think the result was probably fair and the boys did their job!”
“It really is hard to put into words what this Saturday means to a club like ours and for how I am feeling as I’m talking to KSN right now! It’s been twenty-three years hard work from Saturdays to Sundays, and I keep having to pinch myself that this club as a SCEFL club is only eight years old on a Saturday!
“The community that we have in Gravesend is so multi-cultural; everyone supports each other. Football people, people I see in the streets, “normal” people, all keep saying to me “good luck Saturday!” “we’re coming to support you!”
“Get the Club to Wembley and Gravesham will come out for you” “Gravesend needs it!” After all that tell me that the pressure isn’t on, but it’s also a feeling of the backing that we have, and everyone wants us to do well and is pushing this club on and I think that’s how special Gravesend is – it brings the Town out and everyone supports each other!
“Ebbsfleet and their Chairman have been amazing and if we can get there, it will be a dream come true and I am sure that everyone will come out to cheer us all the way!”
If Punjab get over the line, it would seem that AFC Stoneham will be lying in wait under the Arch as they have a three-goal advantage to take into their home second leg against Hallen, seemingly having eight toes across the Wembley threshold – let’s hope that its Punjab following them…
Full match report here late Saturday early Sunday with reaction early next week!
GOOD LUCK PUNJAB – THE WHOLE OF KENT IS BEHIND YOU
ਸ਼ੁਭ ਕਾਮਨਾਵਾਂ ਪੰਜਾਬ – ਕੇਂਟ ਦਾ ਸਾਰਾ ਇਲਾਕਾ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਪਿੱਛੇ ਹੈ