Hinckley AFC start their FA Vase journey under the Friday night lights at Kirkby Road as Highgate United visit for a second round qualifying tie.
Hinckley will face Highgate at home in an FA competition for the third straight season, having beaten them in the extra preliminary round of the Emirates FA Cup in each of the last two seasons.
Now it’s time for both sides to enter the Vase, looking to improve on difficult recent runs of form and hoping a change of competition will bring improved fortunes.
The opposition
After being reprieved from relegation in the summer, Highgate have endured a very tough start to the new season after being moved to the United Counties Premier South after a decade in the Midland League Premier Division.
They have lost all seven league games, as well as defeats in the FA Cup and League Cup, and manager Ant Hasker stepped down a fortnight ago with his successor yet to be appointed.
From the dressing room
“The FA Vase is a special competition and one that I’ve got fond memories of. We reached the quarter-finals in my time at Atherstone as a coach and I had a good run in it when I was a player at Heather. So we’ll hope that this is the start of a good run and one where we can make plenty of memories.
“Highgate have had a tough start to the season but so have we, and they’re going through a management change so that means we don’t really know what to expect from them. It’s a challenge that we’ve got to be up for.”
Chris Tullin
Key information
Should the match finish level after 90 minutes, then it will go straight to penalties to decide who goes through to the first round, the draw for which will be made on Monday.
Season tickets and membership discounts are not valid for FA Vase matches – this is an all pay fixture.
Kirkby Road has a large, free on-site car park, and we have both cash and card turnstiles available.
Adults: £8
Concessions: £6
Under 16s: £2
