PETER Durrant is ready to roll up his sleeves and get stuck into another almighty cup battle.

The experienced centre back will be one of Horsham YMCA's kingpins as they face a tough away tie at Wessex League high-flyers Totton.

And, if it all start gets a bit robust, that will be right up the big 32-year-old's street.

Durrant has survived a few scrapes down the years and admitted: "I don't know what to expect, but it doesn't bother me at all if it gets physical.

"We've grown in stature and we can cope with most teams now."

Nor will he mind if Totton are made favourites on the strength of home advantage and decent current form.

After all, he has won the Senior Cup with Steyning Town, which takes some doing, and helped keep Horsham in the Isthmian League in a season when they didn't win a game until late January.

Durrant was a youthful midfielder back in 1989 when he helped Steyning to an amazing 3-2 Senior Cup final defeat of Hastings at the Goldstone Ground.

He revealed: "We had a fantastic team spirit and we really grafted for each other. It was a very similar atmosphere to what we've got at YM at the moment.

"You never know what can happen if we get a bit of luck and maybe an early goal.

"When we're good, we're very good. We beat Diss Town in the last round and they are previous holders.

"The first half that day was the best we've played."

He predicted: "I can see Lee Butcher in midfield being our matchwinner. He's playing better than ever.

"We're in good spirits and, with the forwards we've got, who knows what can happen?

"But we can't afford to make the mistakes we made at Saltdean last week."

YM will be without the cup-tied Phil Churchill, who scored at Totton for Sussex last season, and Damian Francis, who has a knee operation tomorrow.

But James Bird is back to add steel to midfield as the Sussex side look to provide the stage for their flair players to win the day.

TWENTY years ago Glenn Burvill was a starry-eyed youngster as West Ham beat Arsenal to win the FA Cup.

Around the same time, the highly promising Burvill helped the Hammers to win the FA Youth Cup, playing in a team which also included Tony Cottee and current Albion defender Keith McPherson.

Tomorrow Burvill faces another big cup date as his Saltdean side travel to Manchester to play North West Counties League outfit Mossley in the last 32 of the FA Vase.

Mossley are one of the fancied teams in the competition, but Saltdean have won their last 16 league and cup games and are ready to face anyone.

Burvill said: "Since we got the squad together that I wanted, we have had a fabulous run.

"Providing we perform on the day and we give it our best shot, it will take a very good side to beat us."

There are injury doubts over John Essam (back), Tony Flower (knee), Warren Bagnall and Kevin Townsend (both calf), although the latter two are expected to play.

Justin Simmonds is suspended while Justin Harris, who has just been put on contract at Saltdean, is cup-tied.

The Tigers are travelling up to Manchester today and will have an overnight stay in an hotel.

Saltdean (from): Bryant, Hadfield, Holmes, Longley, Southwell, Flower, Head, Essam, Stevens, Dobbyn, Cooper, Townsend, Bagnall, Allen, Randell, Hamilton, Grice.

BURGESS Hill have done their homework on Vase opponents Met Police, but boss Gary Croydon admits he doesn't quite know what to expect at Imber Court.

Croydon saw the Ryman Leaguers for the second time in midweek and other members of his staff have watched them on three occasions.

They led 1-0 at half-time in Tuesday's Division Two contest against Horsham only to fall apart in the second half and lose 3-1.

"If I'd left at half-time and someone told me they'd lost 3-1 I would only have said that was possible if they'd had their goalkeeper sent off or something.

"But we've seen enough of them already to know they are well organised and well drilled."

Key men for the Met are likely to be strikers Jason Prins and ex-Albion and Bognor man Lee Cormack who have scored 27 goals between them this season.

Apart from cup-tied pair Matt Kelly and Cameron Johnson, Croydon will be selecting from a full- strength squad although Paul Thomsett will need a test on his knee injury.

"It's the sort of game you're in football to be involved in," added Croydon. "I believe our squad is good enough to get at least a draw."

BURGESS HILL (from): Waters, Lutwyche, Cable, Head, Atkins, Pook, Venton, Williams, Davies, Edwards, Newman, Thomsett, Holden, Carr, K.Cheal

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