Basildon Ladies’ boss Peter King says he is starting to dream about an FA Cup third-round home tie with Super League champions Arsenal.
Basildon host Lewes in a First-Round proper tie on Sunday in one of the biggest games in the club’s history.
It is the first time they have ever reached this stage and a win could put them into FA Cup dreamland.
King said: “We will be underdogs but we have already shown in pre-season games against Millwall and Gillingham we can give anyone a game.
“If we were to get through we could draw someone like the Tottenham or Chelsea reserves, and I’d love to get Tottenham.”
King stressed they are not looking beyond the Lewes game, but revealed what he would really like to get from the famous old competition.
“If we can get through the next couple of rounds we could potentially draw Arsenal at home, he said.
“That is as big as it gets, and if Arsenal were to come to town then we would certainly expect to get quite a healthy crowd at the Selex!”
Basildon have reached this stage with a 10-0 away win against Copleston, a 4-1 away victory against Fakenham Town, and then a 3-1 home success against Hemel Hempstead in the last round.
The opposition has got progressively harder, and that will be the case again when they line-up against a Lewes side who top the division above them, and are eyeing up promotion to the FA National Premiership South League.
Basildon are second in the Eastern Region Premier League and will need a big game from their 34-goal strike partnership of Charlie Dolby and Nicola Carty if they are to progress tomorrow.
King said: ““Make no mistake, it is going to be tough against a Lewes side who started the season with 12 wins from 12.
“But we have some very good players here and, given what we have achieved in recent years, we fear nobody.”
Sunday’s game at Selex Sports & Social Club kicks-off at 1pm.
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