Yeovil face ’Pool Cup challenge with confidence

FAMOUS giant-killers Yeovil are eagerly looking forward to their FA Cup third-round match against Liverpool.

This is the 14th time the Football League newcomers, who moved up from the Conference in the summer, have reached the third round.

And, after being paired with six-times winners Liverpool, the Somerset side are optimistic of recording a 21st victory over league opposition.

Yeovil brushed aside Barnet 5-1 on Saturday and defender Adam Lockwood believes the team spirit in The Glovers' camp could help them against the Premiership giants.

The Leeds Academy product said: "We wanted a big club in the next round and that's what we've got. It's good to be part of a game like that. It's good to be testing against the best."

Whatever the Liverpool line-up, the Premiership side are likely to be packed with household names but Lockwood believes Yeovil's team spirit could help to even the odds. The 22-year-old Wakefield-born defender continued: "They've got quite a lot of good players really. It'll be a game just to enjoy, just play and see what happens. You never know what will happen in football.

"You could go all through the team and name players like (Harry) Kewell and (Steven) Gerrard and (Michael) Owen. We've got a great squad and we've a great team spirit. We work together as a team. If we play well and if we catch them on an off day, anyone could be a hero on the day."

Boss Gary Johnson added: "It's fantastic for our fans another history-making game for us. Our capacity is 9,000 but I think we'll be having the builders in, scaffolding put up and seats around the outside to try and get as many people in as possible." On a higher level, Watford boss Ray Lewington was pleased with his side's draw against Chelsea at Vicarage Road.

He said: "The chairman's very excited about it and I'm sure the players are. There are a few Chelsea connections with Kevin Hitchcock one of our staff and another goalkeeper, Lenny Pidgeley, on loan with us and doing very well at the moment. I'm not sure if he can play for us but we'll have a look at the agreement and see if they'll allow him to play.

"I think the chairman's dream result would be a draw and go back to Stamford Bridge for another full house. We are in a bad financial situation and things aren't getting much better so this will be a nice pay-day for us."

FA Cup holders Arsenal will travel to Leeds in the third round. Manchester United, who have won the competition more times than any other club 10 also face an all Premiership encounter, they are at Aston Villa.

There are three other all-Premiership contests over the weekend of January 3-4.

Southampton will meet Newcastle at St Mary's Stadium, while Birmingham take on Blackburn at St Andrews in a match won 4-0 by the visitors yesterday.

Manchester City, who have not won the competition since 1969, face the side they beat that day Leicester in round three.

Draw: Wimbledon v Stoke Cardiff v Sheff Utd Wycombe or Mansfield v Burnley Crewe v TelfordBristol City or Barnsley v Scunthorpe or Sheff Wed Portsmouth v Blackpool Northampton v RotherhamFulham v Cheltenham Man City v Leicester Southampton v Newcastle Yeovil v Liverpool Birmingham v Blackburn Nottm Forest v West Brom Watford v Chelsea Kidderminster v Wolves Gillingham v Charlton Swansea v Macclesfield or Cambridge Utd Leeds v Arsenal Tottenham v Crystal Palace Aston Villa v Man Utd Southend v Port Vale or Scarborough Sunderland v Hartlepool Tranmere v Bolton Preston v Reading Wigan v West Ham Middlesbrough v Notts Co Ipswich v Derby Coventry v Peterborough Everton v Norwich Bournemouth or Accrington Stanley v Colchester Bradford v Luton Millwall v Walsall.