DAVE Ferris hopes to inspire his Chippenham Park players to produce yet another giant-killing act when they lock horns with local rivals Bradford Town in the FA Vase tonight.
Toolstation League First Division Park have already beaten higher-level opposition in Whitchurch United and Ardley United on their way to Friday evening’s second round clash (7.45pm) and are on the longest run of their short history in the national competition.
Ferris, pictured, is in no doubt of the magnitude of the task facing his side as they take on last year’s First Division champions, who have also begun their Premier Division campaign in impressive style, at Harden-huish Park.
“They beat us twice on the way to winning the league last season and, if we go into the game thinking that we’re going to get beat, then we might as well stay at home and have a nice evening in front of the television with a cup of coffee,” said Ferris.
“We have to be aware of the enormity of our task. In the other Vase games, we had the advantage of being an unknown team from a lower league but Bradford know all about us and we know how good they are.
“They’ve got Sam Jordan, who has scored a lot of goals for them but, by all accounts, Jack Hopper has been playing very well for them this season too. But they’re a lot more than just two strikers because they don’t concede a lot of goals either.
“The way they’ve started this season speaks volumes for how good they are but we have to go out there with the attitude that we can beat Bradford and to beat Bradford, we have to give 100 per cent and perhaps hope that they have an off-day.
“It’s a cup competition and we have to try to pull off another shock. Being at home gives us a little bit of comfort and the game being on a Friday night adds a little more to it. We can’t be intimidated.”
Park defender Dan Jordan is the brother of Bradford’s star striker Sam, who scored a whopping 77 goals in all competitions last season and has 15 to his name already this term, but he misses Friday’s clash with a dislocated shoulder.
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