FA Cup draw feels like ‘opportunity missed’, says Slough boss Scott Davies

Posted Monday, November 06, 2023 by PA

Slough player-manager Scott Davies had two reasons to look back on what might have been after his National League South team conceded a 75th-minute equaliser in their 1-1 draw with Grimsby.

Not only did Danny Rose’s goal for the visitors deny Slough the biggest FA Cup scalp in the club’s history, but it might also potentially deny Davies, who scored with a superb first-half free-kick, a second-round return to Oxford United, his last professional club.

Davies said: “I take pride in my free-kicks and I’m looking forward to seeing it back, but it feels like it’s an opportunity missed.

“Their keeper made more saves and I felt that we created more chances in the game. I don’t think they carved us open all game.

“I thought we put up a really great fight and I don’t think anyone could question what we gave today. It shows what the club could be.

“I asked the lads to make the occasion a proud day and I’m sure I’ll be immensely proud later.

“I heard the draw announced. Oxford was my last professional club so it’s sentimental. It would be lovely to be able to go back there, so maybe that’s the tinge of disappointment that I’ve got.

“We’ve got a massive task ahead of us going to Grimsby for the replay.”

Grimsby became the first club in FA Cup history to beat five teams from a higher division as they reached the quarter-finals last season.

Joint-assistant interim manager Ben Davies said: “Everyone was from a division higher than us in this competition last year, so we know what it’s like to be the underdogs.

“You could see from Slough today. This competition is huge for clubs, at our level too but especially at theirs.

“We were the underdogs for every single game in the FA Cup last season and we probably played on that attitude. It’s all for the team higher up to lose. It’s a different mentality.

“So we knew how hard it could be for us coming here. They are a good team. It took the lads a while to get to grips with it and the first half certainly wasn’t what we wanted it to be, but eventually we got to grips with it and we’re in the hat for the next round.”