Challenge Cup: Brentwood Eels 'excited, but humbled' by competition debut
- Published
Club captain Jamie Impey in action for Brentwood Eels last season
Brentwood coach Anthony Sherwood is looking forward to an "exciting, but humbling" experience when they make their Challenge Cup debut this weekend.
The Eels are only the second Essex team to take part in the historic competition, which began in 1896-97.
And Sherwood's side have a home tie against fellow Southern Conference side Bedford Tigers in the first round.
It will also be the team's first competitive match since last September when the 2022 season came to an end.
"The boys have been more focused than they've ever been, [in terms of] commitment levels at this time of year," Sherwood told BBC Essex.
"Everybody likes playing in the summer, and this is definitely not the summer, so they are going out of their way to prepare the best way they can for probably the biggest game in the region and the biggest game of some of their careers so far. It's exciting, but humbling as well."
The club was originally formed in 2004 as junior team Brentwood Elvers but gradually expanded and now runs men's and women's teams.
Sherwood said: "Some of the first-team players have been here since 2009, 2010, but are [only] 21, 22, 25 - and they are some of our older players.
"Last year, to finish third in the SCL with an 85, 90% homegrown squad and there are only two out of our 22-man squad at the moment that haven't come through the club system. I think that's what makes us unique and this journey ever so special."
Anthony Sherwood previously played for Brentwood as a loose forward
'We didn't have an adult team'
The fourth-tier Southern Conference was formerly two divisions, but last October the decision was taken to gather all the teams together into a single Premier Division, with new league season set to begin April.
Going into what the Eels have described on social media as "a day no one in the club thought would happen" during their off-season is not ideal, but club president and former chairman Carl Horsman sees the tie as an opportunity to raise the club's profile.
"When I took over the club all those years ago, we had a vibrant youth and junior section but we didn't have an adult team at that time. If you'd told me then that we'd be preparing for a Challenge Cup fixture, I probably wouldn't have believed you," he said.
"Most people have a knowledge of the Challenge Cup, they've seen it on BBC Sport, some of the old highlight reels of Martin Offiah charging down the wing at Wembley Stadium, so hopefully this will really generate interest in the club and we'll see an increase of new players coming into the side.
"It's fantastic news for us as a club and as a region as well. We're kind of forgotten about in the south sometimes. This is a great achievement, something we need to publicise and generate that extra excitement within Essex and the London boroughs as well."
Brentwood hope to avoid the same fate as Essex Eels - they share the nickname - who lost 44-12 to Elland in the first round 18 years ago., external
Sherwood said: "We played Bedford twice last year, we beat them for the first time, that was also our first win in the Southern Conference league.
"The confidence is there, it's an opposition the boys know and the preparation we are putting in is giving [the team] the belief that it's in our hands."
The winners of Saturday's match will be at home to Wath Brow Hornets from Cumbria in the second round later this month.
"If we make it through, they've got an eight-hour trip, so I'm sure they'll be rooting for Bedford to take a couple of hours off that journey," Sherwood added.