Hatters boss preparing for Grecians "like any other game"
Hatters boss Nathan Jones says he will select as strong a side as he can for the Emirates FA Cup first round tie at Exeter City on Saturday, as the Town head to Devon for the first of two journeys to St James Park in three weeks.
The Town make the 422-mile round trip to the south-west hoping for a similar outcome to the one from the last trek to that part of the world, when Plymouth were beaten 3-0 on the opening day of the Sky Bet League Two season.
Apart from long-term casualties Danny Green and Nathan Doyle, Jones’ only other concerns are niggles carried by striker Jack Marriott and teenage centre-half Akin Famewo, whose hamstring problem forced him to sit out the FA Youth Cup win at Barnet on Tuesday.
Speaking at his press conference at Ely Way this afternoon, Jones said: “It is a tough game, but it’s just like another league game really against similar opposition to us in the league that we are in.
“We prepare the same way in terms of preparing our team. We will treat it like we would any other game, but we are also aware it is an FA Cup fixture and there is a bit of romance with the cup – and we’d all like a cup run.
“We’ll pick the best side we have available. Exeter will look for a cup run. They’ve had famous cup runs, the most recent one being when they played Liverpool, and we want a cup run so we’ll be treating it in the same manner as anyone else.
“It’s not a game that we’ll take lightly and want to rotate. We might have to make the odd change, but it’s a game in which we’ll be as strong as we can be.”
Exeter have taken just one point from 21 available at home in the league this season, but that poor form on their own pitch holds no sway with Jones, who has studied the DVD of the Grecians’ 3-1 win at Morecambe last Saturday.
“We go away from home trying to win every game,” said Jones. “Our record away from home is very good, so regardless of Exeter’s home form or whoever it is we’re playing, we’ll be going there looking to win the game. We have a good enough team that we can trouble any team away from home.
“They had a good result against Morecambe, but I can assure them we’ll be a different test from Morecambe. I watched the game and we’ll be a different test, so we are looking forward to it.”
Tickets for the 3pm kick-off at St James Park remain on general sale until 2pm tomorrow, and can be purchased from the ticket office.
Prices are as follows:
Seats
Adult: £20
Senior (Over 63): £18
Under 18/Student: £3
Terrace
Adult: £15
Senior (Over 63): £10
Under 18/Student: £3
Ambulant Disabled tickets are available at the age-related price with a Carer free of charge.