Marcus Richardson firmly believes Binfield FC are heading for Wembley.
The Flackwell Heath manager saw his side lose 2-0 to United Services Portsmouth in the Buildbase FA Vase quarter-finals, but is tipping the Moles to win their semi-final this coming Saturday.
“With no disrespect to US Portsmouth, I think Binfield will beat them and they could beat them big,” said the former Football League striker whose side included former Bracknell Town players Mitchell Parker, Harrison Bayley and Louie Soares.
“There is a lot of experience in the Binfield side, they have some very good players and I think they will be too good for US. The pitch down there is on the small side and that should suit Binfield more than it did us.
“We have a lot of pace in our side and there wasn’t always enough space for them. But we still looked threatening every time we attacked and created enough chances to have won the game. On another day, it
could have been 6-2.”
In addition to the pitch, Richardson was left wondering if the goalposts were not of the regulation height.
“When I normally go the goals I stretch my hand up to touch the crossbar, but down there my hand was going over the bar,” he claimed.
Whilst their Uhlsport Hellenic League rivals were drawing a blank in Hampshire, Binfield were blazing the goal trail in tremendous fashion in Derbyshire, hammering Long Eaton United 5-0 with Liam Ferdinand netting a hat-trick and Sean Moore getting the other two goals.
The winners at the Victory Stadium this Saturday will now know their Wembley opponents until a week before the final on May 22. Rylands face Hebburn Town this Saturday with the winners hosting Walsall Wood in the semi-finals a week later.
Richardson concluded: “I really hope Binfield will make the final as I have a lot of respect for them for what they have achieved over the last two years.
“Obviously, I hoped we (Flackwell) would have won the league this season, but over the course of the last two seasons Binfield have looked like the best team in the league.”
Related: ‘We owe them one’ – Harry Birmingham gunning for cup revenge in biggest game in US Portsmouth’s history (via The News)
