Following last season’s run to the Third Qualifying Round, Sevenoaks Town welcome Colliers Wood United to Greatness Park this weekend with boss Harry Hudson hoping for another great Cup run… 

Buoyed by last weekend’s win over Isthmian South-East title favourites Ramsgate, Hudson has been reflecting on lessons learned from last season’s run to the verge of the Competition “proper”.

He told us, “We want to win every game of football we can, and the FA Cup has huge financial benefits for the Football Club, so that’s important for us to be able to compete with the bigger budgets in the League.” 

“Last year’s run did hinder us in a League a little bit, but we definitely want to go as far as we can in the competition and hopefully, we can learn from last year and not have the “hangover” in League fixtures in between the ties and focus one game at a time.” 

“It was a great start for us following on from the win at Lingfield in the last round. They’re much fancied and a good side, but we were good value for the win and it’s great to get the first three points on the board, so you don’t feel like you’re chasing the next result – it was really pleasing and we’re looking forward now to Saturday.” 

“Looking back now on those two games, we’re happy with the way that we played and where the squad is as well.”

“Playing in league and the cups in midweek does limit the ability to train and work on things, but we’re all in this football games to win things and that’s our job.”

“So, you have to win as many games as you can and that’s what we’re in the business to do.” 

“The Cup to me brings me very fond memories apart from one season I had at Glebe, I’ve always managed to get to some of the latter rounds – at Whyteleafe we got to the Third Qualifying Round and last year the Third Round again.”

“I’ve got very fond memories of the competition and really enjoy it and it also helps the longevity of the season based on the help the finances give to the Club and that’s any Football Club, and we’re obviously hoping to go as far as we can and draw another big scalp as we did last year!” 

“Colliers Wood are a good young side who are enthusiastic and well coached. They changed their manager in the summer and a couple of the boys who are involved in the programme that I run and who have just graduated will start for them.”

“They’re good, enthusiastic, well organised, so we know it’s going to be a tough game – any FA Cup game has just that little bit of added pressure but we’re at home – which is great – and we’ll just be aiming to follow up beating Ramsgate on Saturday with progress in the FA Cup this weekend…”