Canvey Island soccer boss Jeff King admits that being the victim of shock reversals in major knockout competitions is an experience he doesn't want to repeat.

Gulls' fans have enjoyed some great days in the most famous of knock-out competitions, beating professional opposition three times.

But King remembered: "We've had our share of against the odds disappointments as well -- like losing to Lowestoft when we were clear favourites to win.

"Suffering a cup shock is not an experience any manager or player wants. This competition has been very kind to us over the past two years and, if we can win tomorrow, it could well be history repeating itself all over again."

King is realistic enough to know that tomorrow's task will not be easy for his men. Slough now languish in Division One, but have a Conference pedigree.

And they know that the kind of financial rewards available from the Cup these days could well play a leading part in helping them recapture past glories.

With their second round proper win over Northampton being shown live on BBC's Match of the Day in front of a TV audience of five million, Gulls grossed over £250,000 from last season's Cup run.

There is £20,000 at stake from tomorrow's final qualifying round tie alone, but King knows the competition proper offers real fame and fortune with possible games against Nationwide League opposition.

With fears that star defender Ben Chenery may be suffering from meningitis now ended -- he was rushed to hospital but released yesterday -- the club have been able to concentrate all efforts on tomorrow's big game.

The experienced Micky Bennett is available again after a three-match ban. He said: "It's a thin line between triumph and disaster in the Cup. It's not like the League where you can make up for a poor result in your next game.

"Aveley, who are far lower than Slough in the same division, gave us a tremendous fight in the last round. We're capable of getting a result, but we expect Slough to battle all the way to beat us."

Published Friday October 25, 2002