‘I could have done with his goals 12 months ago!’ – Horndean striker Rudi Blankson sets up FA Cup reunion with Baffins Milton Rovers

The striker followed up his midweek Wessex League debut winner against Moneyfields with a double strike in the Deans’ 3-2 win at Thatcham Town.

Blankson was one of four ex-Baffins men in the starting XI - alongside Cameron Scott, Robbie Taw and Tommy Tierney.

Another four - Ethan Gee, Tommy Patterson, Tommy Scutt and Brandon Miller - were on the bench. And two others - Lee Molyneaux and Josh Deans - were out injured.

It promises to be a mouthwatering fixture, then, when Baffins host Horndean in a preliminary round tie on Saturday, August 20.

Deans boss Michael Birmingham confessed he tried to sign Blankson from Rovers last summer.

A year on, he’s delighted to be seeing the player make a storming start to his Five Heads Park career.

Blankson started in a fearsome-looking Deans front three at Thatcham alongside Connor Duffin and Zak Willett. Between them, the trio belted over 100 competitive goals in 2021/22.

And with Blankson and Willett in their side, not many step 5 defenders are going to be looking forward to facing a team with pace and power as well as a considerable goal threat.

‘I wanted to sign Rudi last year, I’m not going to hide from that,’ Birmingham told The News.

‘I’ve always been a fan of his. It’s an easy fob off to say he’s an impact player.

‘He’s a very well-mannered boy and he’s always got a smile on his face - even when he’s getting kicked.

‘He just wants to play football and I’m delighted to have got him, even if it’s 12 months later.

‘I gave him a hug after his two goals and told him ‘I could have done with your goals last season!’

After falling behind at Thatcham, Deans levelled before half-time through a Duffin penalty. Having fired a spot-kick over the bar against Moneyfields in midweek, this time he sent the keeper the wrong way.

Blankson’s second half double eased Horndean 3-1 up before they conceded late on.

‘Their second goal made it look closer than it was,’ said Birmingham.

‘The players have had two very tough games so far. After a cracking, fiery PO derby, they then went and dominated a higher division team for 75 per cent of the game.’

While admitting he didn’t know too much about Thatcham prior to kicking off, that won’t be the case for Birmingham at Baffins. ‘In the FA Cup and FA Vase, I like going into the unknown, I really do,’ he said. ‘But you get the same amount of prize money for beating Baffins as you do a team from the unknown.

‘Baffins had an unbelievable result against Alton (won 4-1) and it will be another tough game. It’s a one-off, you can’t talk about form guides.’

Deans striker Harry Jackson is expected to resume training this week after being sidelined by a heel problem in recent weeks.