BOWERS & Pitsea captain Scott Pethers has urged his team-mates to make the most of their home advantage when they welcome Ipswich Wanderers in the FA Vase tomorrow.

The Essex Senior League side play their re-arranged fifth round replay tomorrow, following last Saturday’s 1-1 draw in Suffolk.

Pethers, 27, has been among Bowers’ most consistent performers this campaign, and he is under no illusion at how difficult tomorrow’s tie against the Thurlow Nunn Premier League side will be.

And he says the players are thoroughly enjoying the journey they are on in the competition this season, while hoping for a good crowd at the Len Salmon Stadium.

“We had to travel for an hour and a half to get to Ipswich which is something we aren’t used to so I think home advantage is very important,” said Pethers.

“We were perhaps taken aback by their physicality on Saturday but we certainly won’t be tomorrow. They are up for it and we have to be ready.

“Ipswich had more than 200 people there last weekend and it would be great to have that sort of support at our place. So let’s hope we get it!”

Pethers, who has been at the club since the start of last season, adds that Bowers find themselves in a unique position in the league.

With just two-and-a-half months left of the season, Bowers have not even played half of their fixtures due to a raft of postponements.

And the skipper says it is difficult looking ahead, with the team often not knowing when they will play their match.

“At this time of the year, we are approaching the business end of the season but we haven’t even played half of our games,” he said. “Before the season began we were looking at the league as our main focus but the way things have played out we have had to readjust our expectations.

“The next sequence of matches is crucial for us. We have games against Ipswich Wanderers, FC Romania and Basildon United coming up and they don’t get much bigger than that.

“We believe FC Romania will probably win the league now but we just have to crack on and do our best. The way our season has gone sometimes you can’t help but go to bed on a Friday and feel sure the game is going to be off the next day.

“But we always prepare in the same way and that will be the case ahead of the Ipswich game.

“We really want to get through.”