Looking to progress in the FA Vase – Great Wakering Rovers manager Marcus Bowers (Image: Nicky Hayes)
Great Wakering Rovers manager Marcus Bowers is confident his side can progress to the latter stages of the FA Vase.
The Essex Senior League side make the trip to Whitchurch Alport in the Fourth Round tomorrow after navigating past Basildon Town, Buckhurst Hill, St Neots Town, Downham Town and Fakenham Town.
Bowers is looking forward to the challenge with the squad travelling to Shropshire the day before.
“We know it’s going to be really tough,” he said.
“We can look into whatever but there is nothing like a cup tie.
“Travelling four hours away, 200 miles, you never know what to expect to be honest, it could be a really tough game.
“If I remember rightly, they have actually beaten someone that was in the final before so they are not going to be a rollover at all.
“We are fully prepared and the momentum is really strong and we are going up early on Friday to stay in a hotel.
“The squad togetherness is incredible, I have never been part of anything like it before and I have only been here for three months so we are really looking forward to it.”
The FA Vase presents teams in the ninth and tenth tiers of English football with the opportunity to play at Wembley Stadium for the final.
With Rovers only four wins away from reaching the showpiece, Bowers is confident his side can go all the way.
“Why not?” Bowers posed.
“This squad is excellent, it is so deep, we are going to games now and leaving out some really good players because this squad is so strong.
“We don’t have many injuries around the squad at the moment and I expect we will be pretty much full strength this weekend so we are going to have to make some tough decisions.
“But they are good headaches to have, I would rather be having these good headaches than scratching around trying to find players here there and everywhere.
“There is no reason why we cannot go deep into the competition, we know there are going to be some really strong teams but I am really confident in this squad.
“When you have got forwards scoring goals for fun, defensively we have really tightened up which I am proud of and we are not really giving many opportunities away.
“In the last three games, I don’t really remember our ‘keeper making too many saves which is a credit to how well we have defended.”
Alongside their successful cup run, Great Wakering are having an impressive campaign in the Essex Senior League and currently sit in fourth place.
Bowers is pleased with their recent run of form.
“We took over 12 games ago so we have managed nine league games now, won eight out of nine and lost just the one,” he stated.
“It’s a reflection on what we have done since we have been there I think.
“We sat a little bit lower when we took over but we are really happy with where we are sitting at the moment.
“If we win our game in hand, we can jump into second and hopefully we can keep looking upwards.”
Bowers returned to Burroughs Park in October, coinciding with his departure from Basildon Town, following a spell there as a player.
He admits it was a hard decision to leave Basildon but felt Great Wakering offered him an exciting opportunity.
“It was difficult to be honest – I played for Basildon for years and managed for three-and-a-half years so it was never going to be an easy decision,” Bowers said.
“There was never going to be a right time in everyone’s opinion but for me it was the right time.
“When I got that call off of the chairman (David Patient), it was really promising.
“I had been in contact with the chairman for years since I had played for them, he had been top-class with me.
“He was actually the first one to congratulate me when I took up managing at Basildon which is something I will always remember.
“As hard as it was to leave Basildon, I think it was the right opportunity for me and I thought Great Wakering was the best opportunity – one league above, unreal facilities and a team that really shouldn’t be in the Essex Senior League with the backing they have got.”
Rovers were relegated from the Isthmian North Division last term and will be eager to bounce back at the first time of asking.
Bowers feels that securing promotion is the number one aim, despite Tilbury flying high at the top of the table.
“When we came in, it was an aim (to seal promotion via the play-offs),” he said.
“We hadn’t had the greatest start but we were in contention and the way we got off, it is probably a minimum now to hit the play-offs.
“With what we have done so far, we are really proud of and there is no reason why we cannot aim for the top.
“Tilbury are going to be really difficult to catch but these boys seriously think we can catch them and while the confidence is high, I won’t take that away from them at all.
“Play-offs are the minimum at this moment in time in my opinion, I don’t know what the club would say if I am honest, and I think the club would love the play-offs at least.
“Getting the club back to step four is a priority for us and this club wants to push up.”
