IPSWICH Wanderers manager John Clarkson put on a brave face after the draw for the fourth round of the FA Carlsberg Vase paired his team with Lowestoft Town.

By Elvin King

IPSWICH Wanderers manager John Clarkson put on a brave face after the draw for the fourth round of the FA Carlsberg Vase paired his team with Lowestoft Town.

Wanderers, who meet Ipswich Town in the semi-final of the Suffolk Premier Cup in March, must travel to Crown Meadow to play the current Ridgeons League champions on January 20.

Wanderers lost 4-1 at Lowestoft in the Premier Division of the Ridgeons League on December 2, but Clarkson is still hopeful of going through to the last 16.

He said: “Lowestoft will be thinking this is a good draw. But they might get a shock.

“We were hammered in the league, and it is not the best draw we could have got against a top side from the same division.

“But at this stage of a national competition you are not going to have anything easy. We will give them a game.”

And Clarkson says his side will be stronger than their previous game against the Trawlermen.

“I learned much from that match, when we were missing Neil Shade, Lee Owen, Danny Smy and Simon Hyde through injury.

“They are fit now, and I have since signed ex-Histon payer Louie Farrington from Mildenhall and Paul Betson from AFC Sudbury.

“They both appeared in our 4-0 Vase win over Oxhey Jets on Saturday.”

Wanderers are at home to Woodbridge Town tonight in the Premier Division of the Ridgeons League.

Ady Gallagher, joint first-team manager at Lowestoft said: “At this stage of the competition you just want a home draw,” he said.

“The last two seasons at this stage we have had to travel to Newcastle and Bristol and quite honestly as long as we are at home that is all that matters.

“To be honest at this stage of the competition you don't know too much about many club, but at least we know something about Wanderers.

“We beat them 4-1 a couple of weeks ago, but we played well and they are still a very good side.”