FA Vase: Newark Town manager Luke Parsons on third round tie at home to Daventry
The shackles will be off as Newark Town bid to keep their Wembley dream alive.
Luke Parsons’ side host Daventry in the FA Vase third round this Saturday (3pm), with the winners progressing to the last 32.
The Blues, who had never been beyond the first round before this season, are looking forward to the biggest game in their history.
“The plan is to go out there, let the shackles off, enjoy it and do what we’ve been doing all season,” said boss Parsons.
“Let’s play the way we want to play and see if it’s enough to win the game.
“I’ve been to watch Daventry and I’ve got a few videos on them.
“They’ve got a clear style, they’re experienced, strong up front and defensively cute.
“It’ll be a very tough game and we’ll have to be at our best defensively because they’re quite direct.
“Ultimately, I’ve seen where they leak goals, so that’s where we’ll be targeting.”
With the size of the game, and Parsons hoping for a crowd of more than 400 at the YMCA, it’s only natural there will be a few nerves among the players.
They have to keep those under control to give themselves the best chance of progressing.
“It’s my job to pin it as just a normal game,” said Parsons.
“But once the crowd gets up, and the lads get there, how many of these players have played in the third round of the FA Vase? Probably not many.
“Naturally the nerves are going to be there, it’s up to us to control them and have that free spirit about us.
“I want them to be calm before the game and go out there and enjoy playing. Hopefully the occasion doesn’t get the better of them.
“As cup competitions go, we’ve never been here before.
“Ultimately your dream as a kid is to play at Wembley and while we’re in a competition to do that, you’ve got to build it up as your biggest game.
“We’ve got no pressure on us because we weren’t expected to be here, we weren’t expected to be where we are in the league, but you can only have that mentality for so long.
“We are where we are because we’re good enough and hopefully the lads will try and treat it the same way we have all season, be confident, be brave, relax and see where that takes us.”
With goalkeeper Jake West cup-tied, Eddie Cooper - the penalty shoot-out hero in Newark’s second-round win over Lichfield - comes back into the side.
“Eddie saved us last time and deserves to play again,” said Parsons.
“We could easily have gone out and got someone else in but we trust Eddie.
“Westy’s been fantastic but Eddie, in my eyes, is just as brilliant on and off the field.”
Newark retained fourth spot in United Counties League Premier Division North after a 1-0 win at Shirebrook last weekend.
Daventry, meanwhile, are fourth in Premier Division South.
George Robbins scored the only goal - his first for the club - with a terrific long-range effort.
Parsons said: “The keeper probably could have done better - he’s parried it into the goal - but that’s why I encourage lads to shoot because you don’t know what could happen.
“What’s the worst that can happen? It goes flying over the bar? George had a go and got his first goal for the club.
“As much as Pep Guardiola has changed the game, with how good the football is, it’s almost like teams have to score the perfect goal and teams won’t let rip from distance any more. I feel like it is a bit of a dying art.”
Newark should have won by more but got the job done.
“It should have been done and dusted by half-time,” added Parsons.
“But the longer you miss chances and the longer the game goes on, you naturally drop a little bit deeper and have to see the game out.
“The pleasing thing is we’ve kept another clean sheet.
“We had three league games in November and kept three clean sheets.
“We’ve been known for outscoring teams but recently we’ve shown our dogged side.”
