Paddy Davitt Wroxham keeper Scott Howie believes the Yachtsmen's FA Vase semi final, first leg away win will force Whitehawk to play into their hands at Trafford Park.

Paddy Davitt

Wroxham keeper Scott Howie believes the Yachtsmen's FA Vase semi final, first leg away win will force Whitehawk to play into their hands at Trafford Park.

Howie insists the Sussex-based side must attack in this weekend's return tie to keep alive their own Wembley dreams after Paul Cook and Andy Eastuagh silenced the majority of a 1,331 home crowd.

“It's good that they have to come out at us,” he said. “They can't afford to wait until the last ten minutes before committing men forward. That suits us because we've been pretty resilient in these cup games. Maybe we haven't showed that in the league and if we had, then with all due respect, I don't think there are any teams in our league who could live with us.

“I can honestly say there is only one game in the FA Vase when we haven't played well earlier in the competition and we got away with it.”

Howie echoed his manager's post-match mantra the Yachtsmen still have plenty of work ahead to seal a memorable trip to the home of football.

“We've got a job to do and we noticed it before the game here, with the euphoric atmosphere and the man on the tannoy giving it Wembley this and Wembley that,” said the former Norwich and King's Lynn keeper. “We played Royston a couple of rounds ago and they treated it as a forgeone conclusion as well. We had a gameplan, we stuck to it and we need to do the same again. Then we'll celebrate going to Wembley, but until then it's all still to do.

“I don't know enough about the history of the club but I do know it's the furthest they've been and the second leg will be a great occasion. But we still have to screw the nuts on the job. We'd been preparing for the past three weeks for these ties, with all due respect to the league games, and I think that showed.”

Howie was forced into action twice midway through the second half to palm away Wes Tate's strike and get the faintest of touches to Darren Budd's free kick that cannoned his crossbar.

“I'm going to claim a touch for the one that clipped the bar as well as the other save although I think only a few boys saw it to be honest,” he said. “I didn't have much to do but neither did their keeper to be honest. Cooky had a chance second half when he slipped due to the poor pitch really but to take a two goal lead into any game is welcome.

“We didn't play particularly well first half but second half we upped it and played well and it worked out for us. We did our research and the manager had been down a few times and it paid off. We had a good idea what sort of team they were and I'm personally delighted to come and get a clean sheet and to get two goals as well I think is no less than we deserved.”