Pedlars travel after goalless draw to Thurlow Nunn Premier Division opponents
Paul Hunt says Swaffham Town can still cause a Buildbase FA Vase upset when they travel to Stowmarket Town tonight (Tues 4) for a third round replay.
The two teams could not be separated as the Pedlars produced a battling performance to earn a goalless draw against their Thurlow Nunn Premier Division opponents at Shoemakers Lane on Saturday.
There were plenty of chances and lots of incident and Hunt’s troops took plenty of credit for matching the Old Gold and Blacks in a tight affair in the Norfolk v Suffolk clash. The reward for the winners is an away fourth round tie at Tring Athletic or Biggleswade on January 5 following yesterday’s draw.
Looking ahead to the replay, Hunt said: “The club and the players are enjoying the journey in the competition and we don’t want to let go of that.
“We want it to go for as long as possible and playing a team like Stow and competing with them shows that we can go forward and not worry about any team.
“I’ve got full faith that the players will reproduce today’s performance and can get a result at Stowmarket.
“I’ve got such a good bunch of players and honest footballers that they will go out and give their all every single game.
“The intensity they put into practice today and the way they played, I’m sure that they can go and do the same in the replay and have another tough, good game.”
Hunt, who was unhappy with the officiating at the weekend, added: “I just hope that we have a referee who can see things a little bit more clearly. I honestly think he got ground down on Saturday by sometimes the whole team running round shouting and screaming at him.
“I think that affected him as the game went on. I try to tell my players about not having a go at the referee but it makes you wonder if that is the right thing to do.
“Should I have got my players to surround the officials on numerous occasions to get more bookings for them?”
Hunt, who has one or two injury concerns in his squad, took great satisfaction from his side’s performance against higher-league opposition.
“A lot of people fancy Stowmarket to go up and do well in lots of competitions because of how they are investing in the club,” said Hunt. “For us to match Stow and go toe-to-toe with them on Saturday is a great feat by the players.
“We are running with a few injuries as well and we’ve picked up another couple today so it was a great achievement by the boys.”
The Old Gold and Blacks will be hoping that leading goalscorers Ollie Canfer and Josh Mayhew, who were both sidelined for Saturday’s clash, will be fit for the replay at Greens Meadow.
