When they step out at Woodside Park, the home of Benfleet FC on Saturday, Punjab United will be playing in the Fourth Round of the FA Vase for the very first time in their history and manager Chipie Sian can’t wait.

It’s a massive day for the SCEFL Club and their manager Chipie Sian, who has been talking with KSN this week about the Gravesend side’s big day out across the Dartford Bridge in Essex; he told us, “I have been looking forward to this one since the draw was made before Christmas.”

“It will be unbelievable to be in the last sixteen of the Vase for a Club like Punjab!”   

“We wanted to get our league game at Hythe last weekend out of the way even though we were a bit disappointed after the game, but from Sunday the focus has been completely on this Saturday, and we can’t wait to get going.”

“It was important for us to get the ninety minutes in at Hythe as I think it took us out of our stride a little bit having three weeks off over Christmas and New Year.”

“We were a bit hit and miss last week but we wanted to play the game for obvious reasons.” 

“We managed to get a training session in before we went to Hythe which was great because the weather has been so bad. We’re grateful to Whitstable for letting us use their pitch which was great and I appreciate their help as we played a “twenty-threes” game for both sides to give players a run out and that really helped us at Hythe.”

“We were not all at the races to start with, but when we got going, we were fantastic and scored three great goals, and in the end, we just switched off, and they scored twice in the last ten minutes to get a point.”

“We don’t usually make those sort of mistakes but because people got tired as we hadn’t been able to train, it is what it is and now we just have to focus on this weekend – we had a great session on Tuesday, and now the focus is about the weekend and going to perform!” 

Turning to the weekend, the Punjab supremo confirmed, “This is the furthest we have ever got in the Vase, and it’s been great to see the interest – “everyone” is talking about it in Gravesend, and I don’t think we even realised quite how big it’s been for the Club.”

“We have just gone game to game to game and been focused on the League which is the most important thing as we don’t want to be too far away from the Play Off places and there’s a lot of pressure on that,” Punjab’s boss confessed with his side sitting just a point outside the top five with a game in hand.  

“I have always said to you that the League is very important to us, but these Cup games have come at good times as well as we are now what four rounds from Wembley – we have to think “can we get through this one” and take one game at a time.”

“I don’t think you can really think about the Final until if you get to the last four. If we get to the Semi, then I will start thinking about it – for the moment, we have to think about Benfleet and prepare well.”

“I’ve been focused all week at home to the point where my wife has actually asked me a couple of times if I’ve heard her in the kitchen as I have been so focused – fortunately she let me off as she knows that I’m thinking about what team to pick, tactics, formation…” 

“The last thirty-two is still a little bit away from the Final but it’s a massive achievement for us to get this far – I have always wanted a FA Vase run for the Club as I have told you guys at KSN before.”

“That’s what I wanted at the start of the season – we have played well in ties before and should have won ties but been knocked out quite early, but this run has been brilliant – the boys have been fantastic, the mindset has been excellent in every game – we have drawn three of the four League games we have played since the last round but could easily have had twelve points out of twelve.” 

“Every week we are getting better and better but Saturday is a big game for them as well and they will be up for it and the best team on the day will win,” Sian said as his team face a Benfleet side, who currently sit tenth in the Essex Senior League but are unbeaten in ten home League games this season – winning seven – underlining just the task facing Punjab this weekend. 

“It’s going to be 50/50 on who wins and whoever takes the game to their ability will win it!” 

“It would have been nice to play a home game but I am confident with my team every week as there is something about this team that just doesn’t give up and I think Saturday is we can go out there and do our business, we can get through but we know it will be tough as they are a good side – I am hopeful, we’ll see what happens on the pitch and if we get through then WOW!”   

“It will be unbelievable to be in the last sixteen of the Vase for a Club like Punjab!”