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Sport

Hess: We've great chance of reaching next round

By: KentOnline reporter multimediadesk@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 00:00, 07 February 2002

GILLINGHAM'S delight at the FA Cup triumph against Wolves suddenly dissolved into disappointment with Sunday night's fourth round home draw against Division 3 strugglers Bristol Rovers.

Player-manager Andy Hessenthaler, who at Molineux talked of using money from a big-match, fourth round, draw to fund new signings, was left confronting a potential banana skin in the shape of Rovers who became the first Division 3 club to beat a side from the Premier League following a 3-1 win at Derby.

Putting on a brave face, he said: "We'll be going into the tie as favourites and they'll be the underdogs so the pressure will be on us. But at least we're at home and that gives us a great chance of reaching the fifth round."

For Paul Shaw, whose spectacular match-winner on Saturday sent Gillingham through to the fourth round, the draw was especially disappointing. He made no secret of his dream of meeting his old club Arsenal in the next round.

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Rovers, who parted company with manager Gerry Francis two weeks ago and promoted assistant Garry Thompson to take charge, will also be desperately disappointed that Sunday's giant-killing at Pride Park did not bring a more lucrative reward.

Until last week, when they were taken off the market, the club had been up for sale. But they go into the tie on January 26 boosted by the knowledge that they won on their last visit to Priestfield, 1-0, on August 14 , 1999. Since Thompson took charge, they have enjoyed three successive wins.

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