SOLIHULL MOORS keeper Danny Lewis says his side must quieten the Kenilworth Road crowd if they want to claim another FA Cup scalp.
Lewis was one of the stars of the first round as he climbed off the bench for the first time in his career before saving a penalty in the shoot-out against League Two side Yeovil Town.
An even tougher test awaits the Moors in the second round as they travel down to Yeovil’s high-flying league rivals Luton Town on Saturday.
A crowd of 8,805 saw the Hatters lose 3-1 to Portsmouth last Tuesday night, and Lewis knows from first-hand experience that Luton’s raucous support can have its effect.
“I played at Luton a few times when I was at Kidderminster, and it’s always been a difficult place to go,” 34-year-old Lewis said.
“We played them towards the end of the season we finished second in the Conference, and there were around 9,000 there.
“We won and it was a fantastic atmosphere. It’s a proper, old-school ground and the fans are right there behind the goal. You can definitely hear everything they’re saying!
“Loud, passionate crowds are great, but they can easily turn if you’re not playing well and if we’re able to keep them quiet, that will be to our advantage.
“We’re fully aware Luton is going to be a very tough game, but you never know what could happen, that’s why we all love the FA Cup.
“A sending off, a bad refereeing decision or a bit of luck, and all of a sudden you’re in the hat for the next round.”
The National League Moors are 90 minutes away from a place in the third round and a potential money-spinning tie against a Premier League giant.
Lewis was part of the Kidderminster side that beat Peterborough in round three back in 2014 before they narrowly lost 1-0 at Sunderland in the fourth round.
“Apart from this season, that run at Kiddy is the only other decent one I’ve had,” Lewis said. “We managed to get to the fourth round where we only just lost to Sunderland. Playing at the Stadium of Light was the best moment of my career.
“I had the whole family round that year for the third round draw, dreaming of Manchester United or Arsenal and we got Peterborough! To get to that stage again with Solihull would be massive.”
