Buckland relishing FA Vase, but strikers are lacking for tough tie

Horsham YMCA FC manager Peter Buckland. Pic Steve Robards SR1627532 SUS-160920-093630001

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Horsham YMCA manager Peter Buckland is once again relishing the FA Vase Wembley dream, but maintains they have one of the toughest draws at Pagham on Saturday.

YM travel to Nyetimber Lane for the second qualifying round, but are suffering a striker crisis due to injuries to Sam Schaaf and Phil Johnson and Nick Sullivan being away.

One boost is midfielder Ben Godfrey joining the club from Three Bridges, but Buckland says he may have to dip into the loan market as they are currently without a recognised forward for Saturday.

With wanting to take the competition seriously, Buckland revealed he may have to try and force a replay on Saturday, he said: “Pagham in the Vase is another very, very tough game. I said to the guys, starting from Tuesday night, the next three games would tell us if we had started moving forwards.

“The Vase is very important to us and we take it very seriously. Currently we look like we are going there at the moment without a recognised striker. Nick Sullivan is working, Sam Schaaf still has a knee injury despite playing 20 minutes on Tuesday, which wasn’t a good idea, and Phil Johnson is struggling.

“Unlike the FA Cup which has a shelf life, the Vase is a Step 5 competition and really is a Wembley dream that can come true, and does for clubs every season.

“I do not think at Step 5 throughout the country you could have got a much tougher draw then Pagham at the moment.