Clapton manager Mustafa Bashkal is pleased to be in the quarter-finals of the Len Cordell Memorial Cup but knows they face their toughest test yet against Essex Senior League rivals Stansted.
The Tons will face the Airportmen at Mayesbrook Park, the home of Barking FC, on Saturday as they look to bag a spot in the semi-finals.
Bashkal’s men finished second in Group B of the competition after sealing two wins and suffering just one defeat against Redbridge before then sealing a 7-6 penalty shoot-out victory over Brimsdown in the first round of the knockout stages.
“We’re happy we’ve made it into the quarter-finals, I think we deserved the win against Brimsdown, the conditions really didn’t help the neutral fans watching the game, it was definitely an ugly game,” the boss said.
“Stansted are a good side, they’re organised and know their strengths, so we won’t take them lightly.
“We feel like both teams have a great chance of winning the game.”
The competition as a whole has been encouraging for Clapton after battling down near the bottom of the Essex Senior League last season before the campaign was brought to an abrupt end for a second consecutive campaign due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
But the newly-appointed manager has rebuilt the squad and is picking up results which could stand them in good stead for next season.
“The competition has been good for our confidence, I want us to grow from each game,” he added.
They have had a break from cup action but played a friendly against Isthmian North side Romford where they picked up a 2-0 win on Saturday thanks to goals from Lewis Francis and Brandon Rooks.
Young 17-year-old midfielder Bayemore Ndiaye also impressed in the match.
“Playing Romford was a good benchmark, we played a good game tactically, but a friendly doesn’t always mean they’ll play their strongest team," said Bashkal.
“Nonetheless, first half they got the better of us, but second half we definitely took over and had plenty of chances.
“There’s a lot of respect between the two clubs. It was a good game for the boys either way.”
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