Jones eyes historic final

Stoke City striker Kenwyne Jones is confident they can make their first FA Cup final with a win over Bolton at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.

Jones broke his goal-scoring drought when he found the net for the first time since January 2 in the 3-2 loss to Tottenham in the English Premier League on Saturday.

The 26-year-old said the Potters had to treat the FA Cup clash like any other and not be overawed by the occasion.

“They have had a fantastic season, and so have we, so it will be about whoever can go out there and be the best team on the day,” Jones said.

“We have acquitted ourselves well this year so we will be going there confident.”

The Trinidad and Tobago striker has found the net eight times this campaign but it had been a long time between goals before scoring at White Hart Lane.

Jones was relieved to break the drought and wants to turn the goal into a run of form.

“It’s been a long time coming. My performances have been pretty decent for a while, it is just that I haven’t been getting the chances to score. I was part of making goals and not scoring them, but thankfully I got one,” Jones said.

“Helping make goals is not necessarily enough. Any striker will tell you they want to be there at the end scoring goals rather than making them. But we have been winning and getting good results, so at least I could take some satisfaction from that.”

Manager Tony Pulis said he was pleased his striker was finally on the score sheet again.

“He showed his class and if he plays like that, he’s as good as anything in the league. He will push on now and it’s a great time for him to get his goal,” Pulis said.

“We don’t really care who scores as long as we play well, but he’s played the last six or seven games at a level that’s pretty outstanding, so the goals will come.”

Danny Higginbotham’s knee injury will force a re-shuffle at the back for Sunday’s game with Andy Wilkinson likely to come in at right-back and Marc Wilson shifting to the left hand side of defence.

Manchester United and Manchester City will do battle in the other semi-final.