FORMER Weymouth player-manager Jason Matthews admitted he “couldn’t really believe it” when his current club Chippenham Town drew the Terras in the FA Cup second qualifying round draw.

The Bluebirds will travel to the Bob Lucas Stadium with Matthews, now in a player-coach role in manager Mark Collier’s backroom staff, set to return to a club with which he has rich connections.

Speaking to Echosport about the tie, Matthews said he will be looking to secure victory against his former side.

“It’s one that I really look forward to and it should be a very good game. To be fair I couldn’t really believe it.

“It’s obviously been a little while since I left the club and it’s the first possible game that we could have drawn them in any competition and that’s happened!

“It’s just one of those things and we’ll be looking to win that game,” he said.

Matthews believes that Weymouth are “slight favourites” for the tie having been drawn at home.

“It’s up to them to take the game to us because they’re the home team. I would say that they would probably be slight favourites because they’re the home side.

“At Chippenham I feel that they go into every game with no fear and obviously that we have got some excellent players for this league. It will be an interesting tie,” he said.

In his new coaching role at the National League South side, Matthews is enjoying “taking a back seat” and says there is “added excitement” before his return to the Bob Lucas.

He said: “The pressure is not so much on me. I’ve taken a little bit of a back seat at Chippenham but the player-coach role is suited to what I wanted and I’m really enjoying it. I’ve got an excellent relationship with the gaffer.

“With Weymouth being my local club I’ve got some affinity there. At Chippenham we have had some really good performances and some not so good ones but it gives us a little break from the league.

“For me there’s a little bit of added excitement to be going back to the Bob Lucas. I had some unbelievable times there,” he said.

“We didn’t achieve what we wanted to achieve last season but we made massive strides from when I took it on. It’s up to Mark (Molesley) and Paul (Maitland) to take that baton on.

“I believe that they found the club in a better position than what I found it in. I look forward to going back there and there’s no bigger game than an FA Cup game. There will be a lot on it for both clubs,” he added.

Matthews’ present role has allowed him to wear “a smile” on his face as he continues to learn about the management side of the game.

He said: “I’m enjoying it without the added pressure of being the main man. Credit to Mark Collier, he’s done a great job in getting the club promoted last year.

“I’m learning off him because I’m still fairly new to the management game. It’s been an interesting few months.

“I’ve got a smile on my face and don’t have the burden of getting Weymouth promoted. I always look at how they are doing, obviously quite a few people are left there.

“They’ve had a good start away from home but not so good at the Bob Lucas which brings a bit of pressure. They’ve got three tough games coming up with Kettering, us and Hereford.”