BILLERICAY Town boss Craig Edwards has hailed "a cracking draw" after The Blues were plucked from the hat to play non-league giants Cambridge United in the first round of the FA Trophy.
Edwards's side will take on the Us at New Lodge on Saturday, November 24 after battling past Enfield Town 3-2 in the third qualifying round on Saturday.
For winning that game the Blue Square Bet South club earned £4,000 and they'll collect a further £5,000 if they can overcome Cambridge, a former league side that plays in the division above.
"It's a great draw, a real cracking prospect," said Edwards.
"Want you want (in the draw) is a big club or a club that you should be able to beat. We've got a home draw against a big club and you can't ask anymore than that."
He knows it'll be a tough prospect against Jez George's side even though they're struggling in 18th place in Blue Square Bet Premier. "They're a full time professional club and we're under no illusions as to the size of the task facing us," he noted.
"But we go in to the game under no pressure for probably the first time this season: it's not rocket science we know we'll have to play well to get a result."
In recent weeks Town have been on a run of five unbeaten games, ironically the last team to beat them were Cambridge City – Cambridge United's closest rivals. But away from the glamour of the Trophy it's back to the bread and butter of league action this weekend and a trip to lowly Bromley before a Tuesday night game at Dover Athletic.
"They're tough games but then they all are in this league aren't they?" said the manager.
"I'm excited about it to tell you the truth, it's a good week."
In other news Chairman Steve Kent is unhappy that striker Alex Osborn has been sidelined for six weeks with an injury.
The forward was on loan at The Blues until January 1 but picked up the knock while he was back training with the Power League Two outfit.
On his blog on the club's official website, www.billericaytownfc.co.uk, he wrote: "Alex has been a big part of our team this season and his absence will certainly be our loss.
"It's not a situation I'm at all happy with. Alex was on loan to us and as such he should be our player until the loan was over.
"There was no agreement in the loan that stated Alex had to return for training or games, so I'm a little bemused as to why he was there at all."
Edwards added: "The door is still open for Alex to come back in the future. He'd stuck up a really good partnership with Charlie (Taylor) so it's really disappointing news for us."
Although star striker Jay May has returned from eight weeks out Edwards is now on the hunt for a new striker.
"We've got a few out on duel registration that we can call back," he said.
"I'd like to get one in but they've got to be right for us and affordable."
