COPLESTONIANS play the biggest home game in their 64-year history when they entertain Stowmarket Town in the second round of the Suffolk Senior Cup tomorrow (kick-off 1.

Elvin King

COPLESTONIANS play the biggest home game in their 64-year history when they entertain Stowmarket Town in the second round of the Suffolk Senior Cup tomorrow (kick-off 1.30pm).

On paper the Ridgeons League visitors should teach Kingsley Healthcare SIL Coplestonians a lesson, but Cops manager Garry Bartlett is in confident mood.

“If we want it badly enough it is there for us to take,” he said today.

“This is the first time we have entertained a Ridgeons League team to our school pitch, and they might find it difficult to adapt.

“Teams in the Senior Division of the SIL are not happy to visit us, so it will be interesting to see how it affects Stowmarket.

“With such illustrious visitors and with us never having progressed to the quarter-finals it makes it our biggest ever home match.”

Stowmarket thrashed Coplestonians 7-1 in a pre-season friendly at Greens Meadow, but Bartlett, who recently celebrated his 50th birthday, is sure this will not affect tomorrow's game.

“We had beaten Hadleigh United 4-3 two nights earlier and we ran out of legs,” he said.

“Stowmarket will come to play football, which will suit us, and I have my strongest squad of the season available.

“Stowmarket lost to Leiston St Margarets 2-0 in last season's competition so we know that they can be beaten by SIL opposition.”

David Kempson will be making his Coplestonians debut on the left side having returned from the USA where red tape ruined his hopes of attending a soccer college.

Along with Jordan Rhodes' younger brother - goalkeeper Lewis - Kempson was found to not have the correct qualifications to pursue his intended college duties across the Atlantic.

“And with Ryan Stafford back from university and strikers Bruce Rolls and Craig Jennings fit to partner each other up front, I will be able to put out a strong side,” continued Bartlett.

“We have a good footballing side, but sometimes the younger ones can jump away from the physical side of the game.”

Now jointly managed by John Griffin and Christian Appleford, Stowmarket will fancy their chances of a Portman Road visit in the final when the surroundings will be much different from what they will find tomorrow.