James Mulley: Maidenhead can drive Port Vale mad in FA Cup!

JAMES MULLEY knows not even a last-minute equaliser to salvage a money-spinning replay with Port Vale will assure him of a start on Thursday night – he may have to return to being Alan Devonshire's chauffeur for that to happen!

Midfielder Mulley climbed off the bench to earn a dramatic 1-1 draw at Vale Park last Sunday. The good news didn't end there.

BT Sport rewarded their bravery by announcing the replay will be broadcast live – the South promotion-chasers trousering a very welcome £33,750 before gate receipts and possible prize money.

Non-driver manager Devonshire has always thumbed a lift to games and training from one of his squad – whether they want to ferry him around or not!

Mulley was once that man but he loved the car-pool and says he's desperate to drive League One Port Vale mad in front of the nation next week.

The midfielder, who played in the Blue Square Premier promotion final of 2011 when AFC Wimbledon beat Luton Town in Manchester, said: “Sunday was so special – I scored at the far end and to a man we all ran all the way to the other goal and our fans and went crazy.

“We're still coming down off that high, I loved being out there even for 15 minutes and to get the goal was brilliant. I've had injury issues this season so hopefully that is the start of things taking a turn for the better.

“The goal doesn't mean anything, there's every chance it will be the bench again. If I was the manager? I'd start me for sure! But then again I would say that. The team's been doing brilliantly without me so I know there's no guarantee.

“Dev's a great boss and he'll do what's right. I'm not part of the car-pool any more sadly, that's Kieron Forbes and Ryan Peters' job now. I won't go offering my services this week to try and butter him up! I know I have to be there on merit.”

Exeter City lie in wait for the winners and Mulley knows Rob Page and his Valiants won't much fancy the York Road surface.

“There's two teams playing on it, us and Hayes & Yeading, and it's by no means perfect – in a way that's not the worst thing for us,” he added. “The cameras are on us and it's a chance to show everyone we're a club on the up.”

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