We can win this, says Paulton Rovers boss Jones

Paulton Rovers boss Andrew Jones has issued a bullish rallying cry ahead of what looks like mission impossible at Winterfield Road today by telling his players: "Come on, we can do this."

Rovers host League One Norwich City today in an FA Cup first-round tie that is to be broadcast live to a national television audience at lunchtime (12.45pm).

The Somerset village side have pulled off a number of upsets on their way through five tough qualifying rounds to set up the biggest match in their 128-year history and Jones is not ruling out upsetting the applecart against the four-times semi-finalists.

Jones said: "We have gone into every one of the cup games believing we can win them and we just have to treat this one in the same way.

"FA Cup upsets happen; you ask Sutton United, you ask Hereford, you ask Yeovil. In the past it has happened and it will happen again. My message to the players is going to be simple: 'Go out there and enjoy yourselves'.

"There is no pressure on us because nobody expects us to win, but this is the FA Cup and in the FA Cup strange things happen.

"The supporters are going to be as close as Norwich ever experienced to them pitchside. We'll have 2,500 or thereabouts in the ground but it will feel like 25,000 when they are on top of them. It's not just my players but there'll be Norwich players who are playing live on television in the FA Cup for the first time and it could affect them as much as us."

Skipper Dan Cleverley, who is battling to shake of a foot injury in a bid to be fit, added: "I'm glad we managed to get the game on at Winterfield Road because it all adds to the romance of the FA Cup.

"It is also our best chance of winning the game, especially if the rain is coming down, it becomes a bit boggy and the wind is swirling around."

Jones, meanwhile, is relishing the chance to pits his wits against a man in the opposite dugout who boasts a Champions League medal, Scottish League Championship successes and 40 Scotland international caps.

"It's unbelievable. Paul Lambert's career has been absolutely second to none," Jones said.

"He's won the Champions League and played at a World Cup finals, won absolutely everything with Celtic and has been the subject of a multi-million pound transfer – but my management record is not bad.

"I've beaten a Chesham team managed by former England international Luther Blissett 5-0 and I also managed to get one over on Newport and Dean Holdsworth – someone else who had a glittering playing career – so let's see if I can make it three victories over ex-pros."