Confident Quinn: Pressure all on Rovers

7:00am Monday 1st December 2008

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BOSS Jimmy Quinn has urged his under-fire Cherries charges to take a leaf out of the book of non-league giant-killers Histon.

Quinn watched the Blue Square Premier side down Leeds United 1-0 at the Glass World Stadium yesterday – before looking on as Cherries or FA Cup second round replay opponents Blyth Spartans bagged a third-round home draw against Premier League big-guns Blackburn Rovers.

And confident that his beleaguered troops can put Spartans to the sword at the second time of asking, Quinn insisted Cherries could “play above their station” with all the pressure on Paul Ince’s Rovers.

Quinn, whose side laboured to a dour 0-0 draw against Blue Square North outfit Spartans on Saturday, told the Echo: “You look at Blyth Spartans playing us and there was no pressure on them at all, so if we can get through this round and get the home draw against Blackburn, there will be no pressure on us. It’s all on the Premier League team.

“It’s on the day and when you are at home, there’s every possibility you could beat them.

“We have to go to Blyth and fight tooth and nail because if we get through there will be a lot of pressure on the game. Yes, we would be playing top-quality opposition but much like Histon’s win against Leeds, there would be no pressure on the lower league team.

“When there’s no pressure, it’s very easy to go out and play above your station. If we can get past Blyth, I’d really be relishing the next tie against Blackburn.”

Quinn made 58 league appearances for Rovers between 1984 and 1986, scoring 17 goals along the way after moving to Ewood Park from Swindon for £32,000.

The Cherries boss added: “There is a nice carrot there for us. It’s an old club of mine from the eighties and they are a big club, but I’m sure Blyth will be thinking the same thing.

“It’s massive for the club. You don’t budget for that sort of money at the start of the season so a cup run is a bonus.”

Rovers boss Paul Ince could make his first return to Dean Court since MK Dons knocked Cherries out of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy 2-0 in November 2007.

But after leading the Dons to promotion from League Two last term, Ince has not had it all his own way in Lancashire – notching just seven wins from 17 games in all competitions since taking over from Mark Hughes during the summer.

Quinn said: “It’s been tough for Paul because Mark Hughes did a terrific job there. Paul has gone in there and he hasn’t probably got the results he would have wanted and there has been a little bit of stick flying around.

“But they will be up for it. When it’s a Premier League team away it puts a little more interest on the game, but firstly I’m confident we can go to Blyth and get a positive result.”

• Cherries’ FA Cup replay is likely to be played on either Wednesday, December 10 or Tuesday, December 16 – depending on Setanta Sports’ coverage.

FA Cup Third Round Draw: Portsmouth v Bristol City, Sheffield Wed v Fulham, Preston NE v Liverpool, Birmingham v Wolves, West Ham v Barnsley, Middlesbrough v Barrow, Hull City v Newcastle, Hartlepool v Stoke City, Chelsea v Southend, Manchester City v Nottingham Forest, Cardiff v Reading, Ipswich v Chesterfield/Droylesden, Charlton v Norwich City, West Brom v Peterborough/Tranmere, Torquay v Blackpool, Orient v Sheffield Utd, Southampton v Manchester United, Millwall v Carlisle/Crewe, Histon v Swansea City, Forest Green v Derby, QPR v Burnley, Leicester v Crystal Palace, Tottenham v Wigan, More-cambe/Cheltenham v Doncaster, Arsenal v Plymouth, Notts County/Kettering v Eastwood Town, Cherries/Blyth v Blackburn, Maccles-field v Everton, Watford v Scunthorpe, Sund-erland v Bolton, Coventry v Kidderminster, Gillingham/Stockport v Aston Villa.

Ties to be played over the weekend of the 3-4 January.