Dean warns players to watch out for a Wisbech backlash

Sports have enjoyed a spectacular start to the season, slamming in 21 goals while breezing to four emphatic victories without conceding.

One of those triumphs was a 3-0 win at Wisbech nine days ago in a United Counties League Premier Division opener, but Dean is convinced his men will receive a considerably tougher test when returning to the Elgoods Fenland Stadium for a preliminary round tie.

There is close to £2,000 in prize money up for grabs for the winners as well as a potentially lucrative home date against Northern Premier Division side Stourbridge in the next round in early September.

Dean said: “Wisbech will be out for revenge and they will also be on a high after picking up their first win of the season in midweek.

“They also have a couple of really important players - Sam Murphy and Scott Johnson - back after they missed the league game against us.

“I’ve already made it very clear to my lads that they we will get knocked out if we are not at our best.

“It is a derby game in a big cup competition, and we need to approach it in the right way.

“There is also a huge carrot dangling for both teams with the prospect of playing a Step 3 team in the next round.

“Stourbridge have reached the second round proper three times in the last five years and it would be a great test for us to face them, but we cannot afford to look past Wisbech.”

Dean admits that Sports’ super start to the season could hardly gave gone any better. He boasts a free-scoring side which appears to come complete with a watertight defence.

Josh Moreman hit a hat-trick in a 6-0 Premier Division romp at Harborough last Saturday which also featured a Mark Jones brace and a Josh Sanders effort.

Full-back Ollie Medwynter led the scoring charge on Tuesday night when Harrowby were brushed aside 4-0 at PSL.

Midfielder Lewis Webb and centre-back Richard Jones were the other scorers during a display that had Dean purring.

He added: “We didn’t actually play that well at Harborough despite the scoreline, but we were nothing short of sensational in the first half against Harrowby.

“We played some great stuff against a team who actually came and had a go at us - something which was very refreshing to see.

“It was important to lay down an early marker after being promoted as a lot of people have been piling the pressure on us.

“We know we are one of the big hitters, but we still have to go out there and win games of football.”

Star Sports winger Jordan MacLeod is set to undergo an MRI scan to get to the bottom of a knee problem. He is yet to kick a ball this season.