Good Spirits Ahead Of FA Cup Clash

Manager Paul Tisdale has said that the players are in very good spirits ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup first round clash against Peterborough.

There have been plenty of comments about how Tisdale and the players would’ve preferred a slightly easier first round tie, given our performances since the draw was made there is now an air of real optimism ahead of the game – especially following our almost fight back against Portsmouth in the league.

Speaking to the Official Site Tisdale explains that as the game has drew nearer, the players have really grown in confidence and have stopped looking at the tie as being against ‘Peterborough’ and are simply looking at it as an FA Cup first round tie where absolutely anything can happen, and basically it depends on who turns up on the day and takes their chances.

‘It’s a very tough challenge for us, but it is what it is – we saw the draw, and started to prepare and now we’re not thinking about anything else other than the opposition, how we have to play and getting a win. We’re in good spirits.’

Tisdale says specifically that we had a really good away trip to Portsmouth last weekend, and he doesn’t often come away from games we have lost thinking we were so unfortunate, but we were and that’s something we can build on this weekend.

‘I’m urging the players to play on instinct and the feeling of how we did last week, and hopefully get the same response. We’re going into the game in a positive attitude.’

Tisdale said in his last after match that if we could play like we did in the final 15 minutes, we’d more than win more games than we lost, so if we can do that for even 45 and make the chances count, it’s not beyond possibility we could put the game beyond them.

The FA Cup is definitely the place for hope though.

As for team selections ahead of the match, the only player expected to return is Pat Baldwin.

Danny Butterfield is probably a week away still, and the long term injury to Matt Oakley is still progressing well but he’s obviously a while away.