Horsham YMCA must give Lingfield 'due respect' in Peter Bentley Challenge Cup quarter-final

The Lingers have so far defeated Shoreham and Hassocks, both away from home, to reach the last eight while YM have so far overcome Arundel and Lancing at home.

YMCA have already played a league fixture this season against tonight's opponents. An Alex Barbary goal on 87 minutes sealed a 3-2 home victory over Lingfield on Wednesday, September 12.

Coach Ben Godfrey said: "We got very nearly beaten by them and we ended scoring a late goal and got a 3-2 win so they're a very good side.

"They've got some dangerous players in their team. I know they lost at the weekend (4-0 at home to Crawley Down Gatwick) but they had a lot of attempts and it was one of those games where they couldn't seem to score.

"We've got to give them due respect and we've got to try and build on what we did on Saturday in terms of character but cut out the goals."

YM picked up a 4-3 home victory over AFC Uckfield Town on Saturday, battling back from 3-2 down to pick up the win, and Godfrey was disappointed with their defensive display.

He added: "I'm not really happy that we conceded three goals in that game. I want us to get back into being that solid team we were last year where we kept 12 clean sheets.

"We've got the ability to do that but at the moment I feel like it's our mentality."

Godfrey hails table-topping Horsham YMCA's determination as they battle back to beat AFC Uckfield Town | FA Trophy: Find out of which National League South side Horsham have drawn in the third qualifying round | Billingshurst-based Match of the Day commentator 'honoured' to be up for gong at prestigious Football Supporters’ Federation awardsGodfrey will also not be making wholesale changes for this cup tie as the YMCA coach wants his team to be as equipped as they can to advance to the next round.

YM made it to the final of last season's Peter Bentley Challenge Cup but were beaten 4-0 by last season's Premier Division champions Haywards Heath Town. After cup heartache last May, Godfrey is desperate to pick up silverware.

He said: "There will be one or two changes but there won't be anything drastic. We've got a maximum of three games left in this cup if we want to be successful, that being this game, the semi-final and final.

"Seasons go by and you put a lot of work in and we were excellent at times last year but come the end of the season we had nothing to show for it.

"The league is the ambition but we've got to try and get some silverware. I think the club deserves it."

YMCA manager Peter Buckland will also be in the stands for tonight's tie after recently undergoing surgery.

Godfrey was pleased that Buckland was on the road to recovery but joked that he was glad that the YM boss didn't witness Saturday's nail-biting 4-3 win over AFC Uckfield Town.

He continued: "I did speak to him yesterday and I told him I was glad that he didn't come to the game Saturday. He asked me why, and I said I didn't want to go to your funeral, we probably would have given you a heart attack.

“He was laughing and said to me he was so glad he wasn't there but he has been immensely proud of us in what the team has done since he's been away. It was disappointing losing in the cup (against Little Common in the Sussex Senior Cup) but in the league we've picked up two wins so all-in-all we haven't done badly.

"We're glad he's out now and hopefully he's on the road to recovery. He will be taking a little bit of a backseat tonight but then from Saturday onwards hopefully he will be back."

Kick-off tonight at The Sports Pavilion is at 7:45pm.