ONE MAN in the Rams’ ranks has experienced the gutting feeling of being knocked out in the Emirates FA Cup and then having to watch your opponents go on to play a Football League giant.

First team coach Jason Mann was left with the bitter taste of defeat in 2001 when he was playing in central defence for Gosport Borough.

The similarities between that cup tie and this weekend’s one are strikingly similar. Gosport were two levels below their opponents Lewes in the Second Qualifying Round tie – two levels of the non-league pyramid system separate the Rams and St Albans City.

In the end Lewes won through after a replay and they went on to play Stoke City in the First Round Proper, a game they lost at Stoke 2-0.

Mann hopes though that is where the similarities stop between his most memorable cup run and the one Petersfield are currently on.

He said: “My biggest FA Cup memory as a player was playing Lewes.

“We drew 0-0 at their ground on the Saturday and then in the reply on the Tuesday night we were confident even though they were two leagues above us.

“We had three men sent off which didn’t help and we lost 2-0. I always remember that game as Lewes went on to play a Football League club in the First Round Proper and it could so have easily been us.

“During the years of my playing career I have scored in the FA Cup, been sent off in it and scored an own goal as well.

“I wouldn’t mind us having some luck this Saturday.”