Racers boss targets long run in the Vase

The Midland Combination side produced a major shock last Saturday by beating Stratford Town 4-0 to set up a home tie with Wisbech in the second round.

And, after having come through tricky fixtures against Eccleshall and Bromyard, Knight believes his side have got what it takes to go much further in the competition.

“It’s been a good weekend,” said Knight. “Never in our wildest dreams did we think we could beat them 4-0, though we did go there fancying the win.

“On paper, Stratford were one of the best teams in the competition, but if you look how well we’ve played and the results we’ve had, out priority has to be the Vase.”

Racing Club were distinctly second-best in the opening half-hour at the DCS Stadium, with Stratford spurning a number of opportunities to take the lead.

However, two goals in three minutes before half-time swung the game Racers’ way and Knight believes his side would have gone on to win the tie even without the subsequent sending-off of Stuart Herlihy.

“We got into it after the first half-hour once we realised we could get at their full-backs,” he said.

“All of a sudden we were more pro-active going forward.

“And, after the first goal, we were the best team from then on.

“It could have been seven or 8-2 - every time we attacked, we looked like scoring.”

He added: “There was a coming together [for the sending off] and Adrian Neil could have gone.

“But we were 2-0 up by then and it didn’t affect the game.

“If they’d both gone, we’d have still gone on to win.”