Billericay Town boss Gary Calder is taking no chances as he bids to take his side closer to a footballing dream.

For the New Lodge side have never qualified to play against Nationwide League opposition in the FA Cup.

Calder knows that, if his Ryman Premier outfit can triumph at Dr Martens League hosts Havant and Waterlooville tomorrow, they will be through to the first round proper for only the second time in their history.

On the previous occasion they drew non-league opposition in Wisbech Town and were knocked out. Calder said: "That was before my time here and I know it's a dream of many people at Billericay to get through and draw League opponents.

"It would be great to be the first Billericay manager to achieve it and I'd be really happy for our chairman Rod Moore, who has worked so hard to make this club a success, and our fans."

To hopefully help the dream come closer Calder is taking the team away tonight in preparation -- despite the fact that the journey to Havant, near Portsmouth, is less than three hours away.

He said: "We're leaving nothing to chance in our build-up. We're staying at a hotel overnight, will have a training session tomorrow morning, and will be fully prepared for the task in hand."

Calder goes into the game minus striker Roy Essandoh, a former FA Cup giant-killing goal hero with Wycombe when they beat Leicester City, and Russell Penn.

Both are serving bans after being red-carded in the previous round win over Braintree.

Calder will ignore Havant's struggling League form -- they are 17th in the Dr Martens Premier -- and says: "They will want it just as badly as us."

He said: "The draw is live on BBC 1's Grandstand at 5.30pm and we will obviously either be overjoyed as we wait to see who we've picked out or really sick at having to watch the Havant players celebrate."

Published Friday October 25, 2002