SUFFOLK travelled to Worcestershire today hoping history will repeat itself in the FA County Youth Cup.It was a year ago this weekend that Suffolk undertook an even longer overnight journey to face Durham, where they won 2-1 to reach the quarter-finals of the competition they went on to win at Portman Road in April.

Nick Garnham

SUFFOLK travelled to Worcestershire today hoping history will repeat itself in the FA County Youth Cup.

It was a year ago this weekend that Suffolk undertook an even longer overnight journey to face Durham, where they won 2-1 to reach the quarter-finals of the competition they went on to win at Portman Road in April.

Suffolk manager Andy Gould said: “That trip to Durham was the making of the squad last year. We took 18 boys up on the Friday and they had 36 hours together and were able to form a bond.”

Suffolk set off today with an 18-strong squad to face Worcestershire in the third round tomorrow at Pershore Town FC, kick-off 2pm, although there is a doubt the match will actually go ahead due to the current weather.

Gould has added Danny Morphew, who was unavailable for the last round due to being involved in Leiston's FA Cup first round proper tie against Fleetwood Town, and Luke Ingram, captain of the Suffolk Under-16 side, to the squad that defeated Huntingdonshire 6-0 in their first match in defence of the trophy.

Worcestershire have reached this stage after beating Hertfordshire 3-2 in the first round and then Cornwall 5-4 in the second round.

Gould said: “We haven't had time to watch them, but I have spoken to someone from Cornwall, who they beat in the last round, and Notts, who they have also played, but I am more concerned about ourselves and that we go about things in the right way.

“We will have a game plan and will need to stick to it, but we have a good group who have all bought into what we are doing and want to play for the county.”

Suffolk go into the match in confident mood, after winning both their matches so far in the East Anglian Counties Championship - 3-1 at Bedfordshire and 3-0 at home to Cambridgeshire - as well as putting six past Hunts.

“In the three games we have played so far we have scored 12 goals and conceded just one.

“We look very solid right through the spine of the team and have good options going forward,” added Gould.

Suffolk squad: Alex Steed, Elliot Hunter, Joe Boreham, Nick Pope (all Bury Town), Chris Gray (Stowmarket Town), Darryl Coakley (Cambridge Utd), David Kempson, Jack Severy, Josh Mayhew, Stefan Marsh, Luke Ingram (all Woodbridge Town), James Bemmet, Tarren Grint (both Kirkley & Pakefield), James Waters, Jemel Fox (both Whitton Utd), Joe Bloomfield (Felixstowe & Walton Utd), Ryan Clark (Needham Market), Danny Morphew (Leiston).