Jepson: Bromley will be no pushover
Published: 00:00, 30 October 2006
Updated: 09:26, 30 October 2006
BIG spending non-league neighbours Bromley will visit Priestfield in a fortnight in the FA Cup first round.
The ambitious Ryman League, Premier Division leaders pulled off a shock in the fourth qualifying round on Saturday, knocking out Conference side Grays, and will arrive for the November 11 clash full of confidence.
The Lillywhites have splashed the cash in a bid to climb the non-league pyramid and their side, which is managed by former Crystal Palace chairman Mark Goldberg, have a number of players with league experience.
Included in their squad are former Gills players Simon Osborn and Mark Corneille and manager Ronnie Jepson knows it will be a tricky tie.
He said: “It’s a home draw and that’s what you hope for. You have to prepare right for these games because like we saw at Burscough last year it will be a tough game.
“Bromley are paying decent money out and have some good players in their ranks and there’s been a lot of scouts down there watching them.
“We’re looking forward to it. It’s a good one for them, just down the road, so they should bring quite a number of supporters up and it should be a good game.”
Gillingham were knocked out of the FA Cup at the first round stage last season, under the guidance of former boss Neale Cooper, after suffering an embarrassing 3-2 defeat at minnows Burscough.
Dover Athletic earned the chance to progress further in the competition after drawing 0-0 against Bishop's Stortford at Crabble in front of a 1,475 crowd.
The two teams meet again this Tuesday night to decide who will meet Kings Lynn at home in the FA Cup 1st round.
The other hopeful Kent teams, Gravesend and Northfleet, Welling and Tonbridge all went out of the competition on Saturday.
Gravesend lost 1-0 at Chelmsford, Welling were whacked 3-0 at home by Clevedon Town, and Tonbridge went down 1-0 at home to Newport County.
The first round proper ties are due to be played on the weekend of November 11 and 12.
Full FA Cup first round draw
Bournemouth v Boston Utd
Wycombe v Oxford Utd
Peterborough v Rotherham
Torquay v Leatherhead
Morecambe v Kidderminster
Tranmere v Woking
Salisbury v Fleetwood
Chelmsford v Aldershot Tn
Weymouth v Bury
Nottm Forest v Yeading
Stafford Rangers v Maidenhead Utd
Shrewsbury v Hereford
Northampton v Grimsby
Wrexham v Stevenage
Chesterfield v Worcester or Basingstoke
Gainsborough v Barnet
Lewes v Darlington
Clevedon v Chester
Barrow v Bristol Rovers
Rushden & Diamonds v Yeovil
Burton Albion v Tamworth
Farsley Celtic v MK Dons
Brentford v Doncaster
Gillingham v Bromley
York v Bristol City
Dover Athletic or Bishop Stortford v Kings Lynn
Exeter v Stockport
Newport County v Swansea
Kettering v Oldham
Rochdale v Hartlepool
Brighton v Northwich Vic
Mansfield v Accrington Stanley
Cheltenham v Scunthorpe
Macclesfield v Walsall
Bradford v Crewe
Leyton Orient v Notts County
Swindon v Carlisle
Huddersfield v Blackpool
Havant & Waterlooville v Millwall
Port Vale v Lincoln City
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Luke Cawdell