MIDFIELD MASTERS ARE OUR CUP KEY PREDICTS CHAPPLE by Tony Flood

KINGSTONIAN'S all-England midfield and Geoff Chapple's celebrated record in one-off games will give the South London Conference strugglers the edge to set up the biggest game in their history in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup, claims their confident manager.

Southend and their manager David Webb may have seen off one heavyweight Non-League boss in Canvey Island's Jeff King, but they will find it a lot harder when they come up against Chapple on January 6.Never one to miss a psychological advantage, K's burly boss - who was given a replica FA Trophy this month after winning it five times in seven years with his current club and Woking - fired the first shots in the war of words preceding the Roots Hall clash.

Webb quit as manager of Conference title-chasers Yeovil in November to return to Southend for a third time. "Usually the Non-League team is an unknown quantity to their opponents, but Dave knows all about us," says Chapple. "It could come down to a battle of wits - and mud - if the pitch is as heavy as it was against Canvey. Webbie is a very shrewd guy, but I am a bit shrewd myself and in a one-off game I stand a reasonable chance of coming out on top. People tend to have a few digs at me because I don't do any coaching. They perhaps lose sight of the fact that I listen carefully to my coach Ian McDonald and take on board his advice when deciding how we should play. It was the same with my previous coach Colin Lippiatt and it's not worked out too badly, has it, because I have been at Wembley five times. I will discuss with Ian what team we should pick and we will adapt, to the particular situation we face."

Although Webb, a Cup winner as a player with Chelsea, is full of swagger and confidence, Chapple believes he has more chance of lifting his team. "Dave is a good motivator and I rate him highly, but the pressure is on him as the League manager to produce a result. I have nothing to lose and hopefully I can inspire my lads to go out and pull off another giant-killing. Southend have the, advantages of being at home and being full-timers whereas my lads are part-timers. If both sides are at their best on the day then Southend should win. But if they are a bit off their game then they may be in for a nasty shock as Brentford were in the first round, because we will be going there to win, not playing for a draw. We feel we are in with a chance."

The 55-year-old Chapple points out: "Southend's superior class in midfield told against Canvey, yet this could be a different situation because we are strong in that department where we have two of the best players in the Conference in Geoff Pitcher and Gary Patterson. Most of Southend's attacks are set up by little Russell Williamson - at 5ft 4in the shortest player in the Nationwide League. He is quick and intelligent, but he will find Pitcher and Patterson are formidable opponents. We know all about their goalkeeper Darryl Flahavan, who was in the Conference with Woking last season. He has good, safe hands and is a competent keeper. Even so, I think our strikers Phil Wingfield, Sammy Winston and Eddie Akuamoah can give him a hard time.

"Southend's own striker Ben Abbey is supposed to be a Dwight Yorke lookalike, though, of course, he doesn't carry the same threat. Sure, Abbey, who with Scott Forbes scored against Canvey Island, is quick and dangerous, but we have good, solid defenders who are capable of containing him in Eddie Saunders, Derek Allan and Mark Harris."

Despite K's league position, Chapple believes are a superior all-round team to Ryman promotion hopefuls Canvey. Canvey manager King did a great job in preparing his side to beat Port Vale in the first round, but admits he made a mistake against Southend by picking a not fully fit Peter Smith. Chapple won't fall into the same trap. "No doubt Webbie will tell his players how good our lads are and not to be over-confident."

But no matter what he says they may be inclined to regard us as merely a Non-League side struggling near the foot of our table. And, knowing players as I do, it is quite possible they might take us for granted. If they do it could be their downfall because players like Pitcher can swing any match with one flash of brilliance. Unless Southend are at their best, we will be in with a real chance of reaching the fourth round of the FA Cup for the first time in our history. I am a Chelsea fan and used to love watching Webbie and Co. in their glory days at Stamford Bridge. He's always been a battler and I'm sure he will do another fine job at Southend. Hopefully, though, it will be us who stay in the FA Cup."

Kingstonian are doing it the hard way after being drawn away at Brentford, Southport and Southend. Each time they have been underdogs. Now the cheeky Chapple says: "We are due a home tie. But if we are drawn away again so be it. I would fancy going to Old Trafford to face Manchester United in the fourth round - if they can get through."

Thank you! by Steve Farrelly

I am writing now that I am out of hospital to say a big thank you to all the K's supporters who wrote, e-mailed, sent cards and phoned me with "get well" wishes. You all helped to really cheer me up and I was really touched that so many of you had thought of me and my family. I'm gradually feeling better each day. I'm still taking antibiotics, and I have to wear my neck collar for three months (small price to pay for my good health, I suppose). I will be at Kingsmeadow supporting the lads as soon as I can, but I'm not sure when this will be. I look forward to seeing you all there.
Many thanks again.
Steve Farrelly

Chapple aiming to conquer Wright

BBC Sport Online's Mandeep Sanghera catches up with Kingstonian boss Geoff Chapple as he sorts his side's kit out before their FA Cup visit to Mark Wright's Southport. Geoff Chapple has a notorious giant-killing reputation in the FA Cup.

The current manager of non-league Kingstonian, he is a man whose teams League clubs fear being drawn against. But that does not stop Chapple having to help sort out his side's kit and help load the coach for their next FA Cup sojourn! It is this sort of scenario which sprinkles the romantic dust over the FA Cup and this time the destination is former England international captain Mark Wright's Southport.

"I've got out the laundry and made sure we have the right kit for the game," explained 55-year-old Chapple. "I tend to look after the kit side of things as I like to make sure that everything is right. I just hope the result is right for us after the game."

Kingstonian have already played Southport in a Conference encounter this season when they won 3-1. Chapple admits his side were fortunate on the day and he has plenty of praise for Wright as well as the Southport team.

"They are the best team I have seen this year." said Chapple. "Mark is one of the characters of the game and we need them. "He had a lot of banter with our fans when we played and he has done well. At the start of the season I tipped them as my dark horses for the Conference title. They are a friendly bunch and have some good players." Wright is one of the up-and-coming breed of young managers in English football and has instigated an impressive turn-around for the Sandgrounders. Wright arrived at Southport's Haig Avenue ground last December with the club second from bottom of the Conference.

His first management position, Southport finished last season in ninth place and are presently second in the Conference with promotion to the Football League in mind. This is the FA Cup, however, and Chapple's favourite hunting ground for big reputations. He masterminded West Bromwich Albion's downfall in 1991 in the third round when manager at Woking.

They eventually lost 1-0 at Everton in the next round but, five years later, Millwall were on the wrong end of an FA Cup upset as they lost to Woking 1-0 after a replay. Chapple's side went on to face Coventry and took them to a replay before being beaten 2-1 at home. This season Brentford became the latest in Chapple's list of FA Cup conquests when they were beaten by Kingstonian 3-1 in the first round. Chapple has five FA Trophy final victories to his credit and has some "wonderful memories" of the FA Cup. He added: "This is a one-off game. The players will be more tense than a normal Conference game. There will be nerves as we all know what the prize is at stake. Whoever wants it bad enough will win and this is not going to be a game for faint hearts."