by MARK TUXFORD

STANWAY ROVERS manager Danny Slatter hopes fortune favours the brave as his side return to cup action tomorrow - this time in the FA Vase at Lopes Tavares.

Rovers visit the Terence McMillan Stadium looking to bounce back from Tuesday’s 4-1 defeat at home to Chelmsford City, in the Essex Senior Cup.

They face a Lopes Tavares side that are currently top of Thurlow Nunn League first division south but Slatter is confident his side can win the first-round tie and make Vase progress.

“We've done our homework, know the pitch won’t be great and know there won’t be much of a chance to get the ball down and play," he said.

"But we're a confident bunch and we'll be going there to win.

“We've had a good start to the season in the league.

"The players and staff have bought into what I’m trying to do at the club and it would be great to go on a cup run and see how far we can go in the competition.

"It’s certainly something myself and the club want to achieve.

“We've brought in Curtis Haynes Brown, who scored on Tuesday, and Daniel Cunningham, from Coggeshall Town.

"That's in addition to the summer recruitment, so there’s good quality there to produce over the course of the season in any competition.”

Stanway came unstuck against a Clarets side that contained the calibre of Barry Cotter, on loan from Ipswich Town, and former Fulham defender Elliot Omozusi.

However, Slatter felt there were plenty of positives.

“We were obviously disappointed not to move into the next round of the Senior Cup but against a good side, one step below the Conference, we were brave, strong in the tackle and had good chances to score more,” he said.

“In the end, it came down to that extra bit of quality from them and it’s what we keep speaking about; we've got to keep improving.

"There were good spells but it came down to those moments in which we must get better.

“I think there’s still paint on the ball after we hit the post twice and, on another day, they go in but it wasn’t to be.

"However, we can take the positives into this weekend.”

As his side approach a quarter of the way through the season, Slatter is relishing his role as first-team manager.

“I lost my voice again the other night but I’m enjoying every moment of being a manager,” he said.

“I’ve had a winning mentality ever since I’ve been with the club as a player.

"Now, as the manager, I want to drum that into my players.

“There will be bumps in the road but as long as we apply ourselves I believe we're more than a match for any side we come up against.”