SOUTHAMPTON may have every chance of playing at Wembley Stadium in the Johnstone's Paints Trophy, but former Blues goalkeeper Kelvin Davis says that tomorrow's game is the cup match that really matters.

Elvin King

SOUTHAMPTON may have every chance of playing at Wembley Stadium in the Johnstone's Paints Trophy, but former Blues goalkeeper Kelvin Davis says that tomorrow's game is the cup match that really matters.

Davis helped the Saints beat MK Dons 1-0 away in the first leg of the southern final of the Johnstone's Paints Trophy on Wednesday.

He is expected to be in goal at St Mary's Stadium tomorrow (kick-off 3pm) when his League One side take on Town for a place in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

Davis made 93 appearances for Ipswich in his two seasons at Portman Road under the management of Joe Royle when he was twice denied a Premier League place losing both times to an Alan Pardew-managed West Ham in the play-off semi-finals.

Pardew is now manager of Southampton, and Davis said: “The FA Cup is the cup competition as far as I am concerned.

“A home game against Ipswich is a game we know we can win - it's an opportunity for us.

“It's not like the Manchester United game last season when, hand on heart, we knew we were not going to get a win.

“So we're really pleased we have a home game against Championship opposition.”

Davis left Ipswich in the summer of 2005 to join Sunderland in a �1.25m deal, and this is the fifth former club that the 33-year-old has faced this term.

To complete a full house he is hoping to make progress and draw Sunderland for a place in the quarter-final.

“I had fantastic times at Ipswich, and we achieved a lot,” Davis added.

“I've some great memories and some great friends there.

“It's a fantastic place to play football; evening games were always special. I really enjoyed my time there and was sorry to move on, but it was down to finances.”

Pardew will be forced to shuffle his pack as he will be without Jose Fonte and Morgan Schneiderlin, who both played on Wednesday, as well as Dan Seaborne, Jon Otsemobor, Dean Hammond and David Connolly.

New signings Fonte, Seaborne and Otsemobor are all cup tied having played for Crystal Palace, Exeter and Norwich respectively, midfielder Schneiderlin is suspended having been sent off at MK Dons and Hammond and Connolly are both injured.

Wayne Thomas is likely to continue at right back with Lloyd James needed in the middle of the park. Radhi Jaidi has recovered from an eye injury and should come in to partner Chris Perry at the back.

Apart from Davis, Dan Harding played 79 times for Town under the management of Jim Magilton while keeper Bartosz Bialkowski sat on the Town bench for the final weeks of last season while on loan from the Saints.