Hornchurch relishing FA Cup action says Steve Morison

Urchins welcome the Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division club to Bridge Avenue for a first qualifying round tie on Saturday, looking to avoid an upset.

And Morison’s men go into the tie on the back of a good Bank Holiday weekend in the Isthmian League Premier Division.

They snatched a last-gasp 2-2 draw at Lewes on Saturday, before beating Hashtag United at home on Monday to make it five games unbeaten.

And Morison was pleased to utilise his squad in both matches, telling the club website: “Look, 11 men aren’t going to win us the league or get us where we need to be, it’s going to take the whole squad.

“I said to them on Saturday it’s a squad game and I’ll be making changes and true to my word we did that.

“And I don’t think anything really changed, then we made some subs and they come on and it’s what it’s all about.

“Now we go to the FA Cup and it stands us in good stead if we’re going to have to go Saturday-Tuesday, Saturday-Tuesday for a period, we can make changes and we know everyone is singing off the same hymn sheet.

“It’s a great competition, it’s nostalgic and it’s one everyone looks forward to. We’ll be going out there to win another game.”

Two goals down after 32 minutes at Lewes, Hornchurch hit back through Liam Nash just before the hour.

And Nash smashed home a 95th-minute equaliser when a Tom Wraight corner was nodded into his path by Ryan Scott.

Nash broke the deadlock with 19 minutes left on Monday, in front of a crowd of 1,002, with Wraight doubling the lead and then sealing a 3-0 win from the penalty spot.

And Morison, who celebrated his 40th birthday on Tuesday praised his side, adding: “It was another team that turned up and you could see what they wanted from the start, try and nick something.

“But the boys stuck at it, apart from a few corners and a few long throws, we dealt with them, and we played our football.

“We tried to break them down, obviously we didn’t manage it at half-time, but once we got the goal second half we was dominant from then on, apart from the moment they had late on where Dion makes a great save.

“We wore them down and scored some really good goals, we should’ve scored a few more.

“But really pleased where the boys are with their fitness, they look fit as anything.

“Performances aren’t going to be perfect but you’re resilient, you stay strong, you stay solid and when the opportunities come you take them.”