Henry’s overdue a goal to make mark

 Source: Lancashire Evening Post

 Rob Henry is dreaming of hitting the winning goal tomorrow when Lancaster City travel to face FC United of Manchester in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup.

The right full-back is one of only three players in the City squad who have yet to get on the scoresheet this season.

But he is hoping to break his duck at Bury’s Gigg Lane tomorrow and send the Dolly Blues to within two matches of the first round proper.

Henry said: “At this stage of the season, it’s quite a strange statistic to have – nearly everybody in the squad has scored.

“There’s only me, Craig Carney and Martin Fearon who haven’t scored.

“Craig’s been suspended and Martin is the goalkeeper.

“I nearly scored on Tuesday, but the keeper made a good save – I was hoping that was going to go in.

“But if I get a chance then hopefully I’ll put it away.

“The lads have already said that I’m on penalties if we are winning comfortably.

“If I could hit the winner against FC United – that would be nice.”

Henry revealed that everybody in the squad is buzzing as they look forward to the opportunity of playing on a Football League ground in front of what should be a sizeable crowd.

He said: “It’s a bigger stadium than normal, it’s going to be a better surface to play on than we are used to.

“Quite a few of the lads in our squad have played there before, there should be a big crowd – everybody is buzzing.”

The dependable defender is hoping this campaign is the season that the Dolly Blues finally reach the first round proper.

“That’s the goal to get to the first round,” he said.

“There’s always a team from out league that does it every year, so hopefully it’s our turn this year. I think FC United did it last year and Harrogate did it a few years ago.

“You need a bit of luck to get there and you have to beat some good sides along the way.

“But hopefully this is our year to go further than we have done before.

“I know in the last couple of years since I’ve been at the club, we got knocked out in the first round of qualifying last year and then got beaten in our second game the year before.

“But getting to the first round proper will be the motivation for everybody to do their best tomorrow.”

Henry, who has been a fixture in Tony Hesketh’s side over the past few seasons, has been delighted with the start City have made so far this season.

Despite going down to only their second defeat of the campaign away at Harrogate Railway on Saturday, the Dolly Blues bounced back in style on Tuesday.

They knocked current NPL First Division North leaders Skelmersdale United out of the Doodson Cup thanks to a 4-2 victory.

City’s only losses so far this season have come away from home, and Henry feels their ability to travel well will be key to their success this season.

“The last couple of years, we have been strong at home,” he said.

“We’ve always won the majority of our home games.

“I think the season we got to the play-off final, we won a lot of points away from home but last year, where we just missed out on a play-off place, we didn’t do quite as well away from home.

“I think how we do away from home will be key this season.

“We did not pick up enough points on our travels last year.”

Published on Friday 30 September 2011 10:01