AS Eastleigh prepare to take on League One Swindon Town, Kevin Watson reflected on the day he came closest to an FA Cup upset.

Watson, Ronnie Moore’s astute assistant, is a former Swindon midfielder whose his fondest memories of the competition come from a tie for Colchester against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in 2006.

Hopes were high when a Ricardo Carvalho own goal gave Colchester a shock 28th-minute lead against a team including the likes of Didier Drogba, Michael Essien and Carlo Cudicini.

“We were on a great run on the way to getting promoted from League One and even hit the post after taking the lead,” recalls Watson.

“Jose Mourinho wasn’t happy! We were dominating the game but they equalised [through Paulo Ferreira in the 37th minute].”

Colchester were on course for a replay before Joe Cole, having come on with Frank Lampard at half-time, scored twice in the last ten minutes to clinch a 3-1 win.

“I don’t think Mourinho intended to use any subs and if we’d got a second it could have been different.

“But bossing Maniche and Lassana Diarra for 45 minutes with Neil Danns is certainly something to tell my kids!

“I also up the fifth goal for Nicky Barmby, with a reverse pass across the box, in a 5-0 FA Cup [third round] win against Marlow. But taking the lead at Chelsea with a League One side topped that.”

Before joining Eastleigh two months ago,Watson had been assistant to his former Spurs and Colchester teammate Teddy Sheringham at Stevenage Borough. He had no hesitation in joining forces with Ronnie Moore.

“I was fortunate to play for Ronnie at Rotherham, after three years at Swindon,” he said. “Ronnie gave me the armband and two years later we were in the Championship.

“The gaffer’s a good man, a good manager and a good man manager and he’s always been very good at recruitment - you just have to look at the teams he’s put together.”

After being hammered 4-0 at Barrow last week, Watson is confident Eastleigh will put on a better show in front of the television cameras, against a Swindon side that is fourth from bottom of League One after losing 4-1 at leaders Scunthorpe last week.

“That was a real blip, Barrow’s last two goals in particular were very poor from our point of view,” he continued.

“Friday is a nice distraction, if any of our players want to get a move and go on to bigger and better things there’s no better stage to perform than in front of the TV cameras.

“I learnt a lot at Swindon [after being signed by Steve McMahon] without playing as much as I’d have liked (64 games in three years).

"There’s obviously no-one left from my time there, although I saw familiar faces like Fraser Digby working in corporate hospitality when I went back to cover some games for Sky Sports.

“They’re not having the best of times but they’re a quality side. If we give them room to pass it will be a very long night for us, we’re fully aware of that. We’ll have to work very hard.”

Kick off at the Silverlake Stadium tomorrow is at 7.55pm.