Ramsgate manager Ady Pennock says his side can enjoy the occasion in Saturday’s FA Cup second qualifying round against higher-league Tonbridge Angels

Ramsgate boss Ady Pennock has described their FA Cup trip to Tonbridge as a “free hit”.

The Rams have been handed one of the toughest possible draws in the second qualifying round, visiting an Angels team that sit sixth in National League South.

It’s been an impressive start for Tonbridge under manager Alan Dunne but Ramsgate will be hoping to produce an upset.

“It’s a tough draw and an exciting draw but it’s a free hit for us,” said Pennock. “Nobody expects us to go there and win.

“They’ve had a great start to the season and it’s a lovely football club.

“Alan has done a great job there so it’s going to be very hard for us, we know that. But it’s the FA Cup, we’ll go there as underdogs and we’ve got nothing to lose.”

Pennock has been impressed by the job Angels boss Dunne has done at Longmead but he wants his players to enjoy the tie.

“I spoke to Dunney last season, in pre-season and this season,” said Pennock.

“He’s a football man and it’ll be good to see him. It’s a derby as well so I’m sure there’ll be a good crowd. I just want the players to enjoy it, enjoy the occasion and play with your head, not your heart.

“I know we’ll bring a lot of fans, like we do at every away game, and you never know what can happen on the day. I’m really looking forward to it.”

Ipswich fan Pennock dusted down highlights of his boyhood club’s FA Cup final win over Arsenal in 1978 to inspire his troops before they beat Bracknell in the previous round.

Now he’s hoping to complete a shock of his own this weekend.

“I showed them some of the highlights from 1978 and I think the players thought I was mental,” said Pennock.

“But this is the best competition in the world and I love it. There’s always surprises in the FA Cup, from the qualifying