Keith Curle reacts to Cobblers' FA Cup draw against Chippenham Town

Keith Curle has given his reaction to the FA Cup first-round draw which handed the Cobblers a trip to non-league outfit Chippenham Town.
Keith CurleKeith Curle
Keith Curle

The tie, which takes place at Chippenham's Hardenhuish Park ground next Sunday, has been selected by the BBC to feature on their Final Score programme that will show live clips from a selection of first-round ties.

Chippenham, currently under the management of Mark Collier, are on a 10-game unbeaten run and occupy 12th spot in the National League South. They won through to this stage by beating Whyteleafe 3-0 in the fourth qualifying round.

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"It'll be a challenge and it's what the competition is all about," said Curle when asked about his side's upcoming trip to Wiltshire.

"We'll go there as favourites as the league outfit but they won't make it easy for us and the bonus for us is that it's a grass pitch.

"I know the area and it's not too far from where I was brought up and I know it'll be a challenge because you get the beauty of the FA Cup week and you get the build-up, the travelling and the preparation.

"But we won't prepare any differently if we were playing Man City to how we would if we were playing Chippenham and that's what we're trying to instil in the players.

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"It's about having the right mindset for 90 minutes and it's an opportunity to represent the football club. Whether it's the league or a cup competition, our mindset is that it's an opportunity to win a game.

"We'll address it as and when the time comes but for now we have other important games we need to focus on."