Prize money is huge for Hungerford

The Crusaders could secure £15,000 if they beat Wealdstone on Saturday

HUNGERFORD Town manager has admitted that the prize money in the FA Cup is ‘massive’ for the club.

The Crusaders beat Hellenic League side Wantage Town 4-1 in a penalty shoot-out after their second-qualifying round replay on Tuesday – a result which earned them £9,000 in prize money.

After the first game between the two ended due to an injury to goalkeeper Jokull Andresson and the second one finished 1-1, Herring wanted to ensure his side progressed into the next round.

He said: “I told the boys I don’t care how the job gets done, I just want it done and it has, although we made hard work of it.

“Forget the performance, it’s what FA Cup football is all about and I think the Wantage players were a credit to their club.”

The prize money is something that will be welcome at Bulpit Lane and a place in the next round of the cup could land them £15,000.

“It’s huge, make no bones about it,” said Herring.

“From a player’s perspective, the money doesn’t come into it – it’s prestige about being able to play [like Wantage] against teams in a higher division.

“For a club, the financial reward is massive, especially for us due to what we’ve been through with the budget being cut and what we’re still going through now.”

As a result of beating Wantage, Hungerford now face National League South rivals Wealdstone and former manager Bobby Wilkinson on Saturday in the third qualifying round.

Herring said: “To be at home is nice. The league game against them ended 1-1 and I am sure they have had us watched and we’ll know what they’re about.

“It will be a battle, but in cup football anything can happen and we hope we can get the result for the players and the club.”

Town need to be more ruthless

The result at Wantage followed on from Saturday’s 2-0 defeat against Slough Town in the National League South.

Their seventh defeat of the season leaves them just two points above the relegation zone and Herring said: “It was disappointing to lose on Saturday, but we had a couple of chances to score in the first half.

“We have to be more clinical in both boxes because it might have been a different outcome, but I thought it was a good performance.”

The next two league games could be crucial for Herring’s side as they face Dulwich Hamlet at home before a trip to fellow strugglers East Thurrock United.