Soccer: Doncaster David and Goliath

David Mulligan is hoping Monday, December 19 is a cold day in Doncaster. In fact, the colder the better.

You see, the 23-year-old All Whites midfielder hopes Arsenal receive a frosty reception not just from the Doncaster fans when the glamour London side travel to South Yorkshire for the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup later this month.

"When we played Aston Villa they didn't fancy it because it was a cold day," Mulligan explained in his hybrid English accent. "In the end we were the ones playing like a Premiership team, not them. Now we've got Arsenal and it's going to be cold again so they might not fancy it either."

Considering it's been 30 years since Doncaster made it to the last eight of the Carling Cup, they certainly fancy it. They are the proverbial giant-killers, having disposed of Wrexham in the first round before accounting for Stuart Pearce's Manchester City on penalties and then outplaying Aston Villa 3-0 last week.

They now find themselves as the only non-Premiership side in the competition alongside Manchester United, Middlesbrough, Blackburn, Bolton, Birmingham, Wigan and, of course, Arsenal.

"It's going to be hard beating Arsenal because they have some good players," Mulligan explained matter-of-factly. Those include the likes of Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Robert Pires but there are doubts the stars will make the journey to Doncaster's Belle Vue, considering the Gunners have often opted to use juniors for the less-illustrious Carling Cup.

Mulligan said Doncaster was "buzzing" after the side's recent run of results, after they also won through to the third round of the FA Cup and recorded six wins in their last nine games in League One to sit just outside the playoffs.

Last week's win in the second round of the FA Cup was significant for Mulligan as he scored both goals in the 2-1 win over Boston, both free-kicks from outside the area, and he's been nominated as one of five players up for the FA Cup Player of the Round award. "Apparently I'm second in that so I need people to vote for me," he said unashamedly. "If people in New Zealand can get on the internet and help me out, that would be great."

New Zealand might be a place Mulligan sees a bit more of in the near future if recent speculation linking him with a contract at the Knights comes to fruition. The Liverpool-born defender, who played for the All Whites in their 1-0 loss to Australia earlier this year, is out of contract in May, clearing the way for the Knights to pick him up for their 2006 season.

"If the deal's right, I would go anywhere," Mulligan explained. "For me to leave England it would have to be a good deal... but I always think about coming back to New Zealand. It's where I want to end up playing or go back to in the next couple of years.

"They've been in contact with my brother [who works as Mulligan's manager] but I haven't heard any more than that. I scored two goals the other day so clubs are sure to be watching."

They'll be watching again when he lines up against Doncaster - if they can stand the cold, that is.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY