Reading here we come!

10:46am Tuesday 6th November 2001

Welling United manager Tony Reynolds described his side's 5-1 thrashing over Folkestone Invicta as a “fantastic display” to earn the Wings a trip to Second Division Reading in the first round proper of the FA Cup.

A Dave Powell hat-trick and goals from Peter Overton and Russell Edwards were too much for Folkestone in the replay, who had even taken the lead in the 28th minute.

Reynolds said: “I had a couple of sleepless nights before the game and made some changes to the side, and we were fantastic on the night.

“We've been playing like that all season, but have not been getting the rub of the green, like at Newport and Havant. On other days, we would have won those games.

“I've got the right players, we need passion and strength and it was a great result and I'm looking forward to the match at Reading.”

But Reynolds wants the team to forget about the FA Cup euphria.

He added: “We're in the bottom half of the league and I know we have the players to perform.

“You can't write us off in the league as nobody has pulled away from the pack. But for now we need to forget about the FA Cup and concentrate on this Saturday's home league game against Tiverton”

l Welling United, who were playing groundshareres Erith & Belvedere in the Kent Senior Cup last night as we went to press will, if an FA Cup replay against Reading is needed, switch the tie to The Valley.