Manager Joe Conneely says Hinckley AFC will go into Saturday’s FA Vase tie at Belper United with “nothing to fear.”
AFC will travel to a higher league side in the Vase for the first time in four years looking to put three successive defeats behind them.
But three successive wins got them to this stage, including beating higher league opposition for the first time in five years when they knocked Cogenhoe United out in round one. That, along with qualifying wins over Paget Rangers and Stafford Town, earned Hinckley a spot in round two.
Hinckley have history with Belper after the Derbyshire side won last season’s play-off final at Kirkby Road – but Conneely says the much-changed nature of his squad means league clashes with them last season mean little.
He said: “They’re favourites, we’re the underdogs and we go into it with nothing to fear.
“Of course we’ll try to right the wrongs from last year but it’s a clean slate for us because three quarters of our squad didn’t play them last season.
“Myself and a couple of the lads know them but otherwise they’re just a team from the league above. So we’ll try all we can to win the game.”
Conneely drew parallels between Belper and his side’s last opponents Ashby Ivanhoe – and wants his side to be much sharper at Christchurch Meadow than they were in Tuesday’s Leicestershire Senior Cup defeat.
“They’re a good side, and are similar to Ashby. They work hard, with lots of quality, and we’ll have to match them.
“They’re solid, and workmanlike. They’ve got quick wingers, a good striker, and a midfield three who land on things. Their gaffer (Marc Strzyzewski) plays at the back and deals with things. They did a job on us last year and we’ll have to be more ruthless this time.”
Belper beat Gedling Miners Welfare on penalties and Cheltenham Saracens 5-3, both away, to reach this stage of the Vase. Captain Martin Smyth scored twice in the latter and also scored twice against Hinckley last season, but he will miss this game through suspension. Jack Tyson, who also scored against AFC last term, bagged a hat-trick at Cheltenham.
United are 15th in the United Counties Premier North, with four wins and two draws from their 14 games so far. They’re without a league win since the beginning of October but their cup form has been good, and they put six past New Mills in their county cup on Tuesday in which Eric Graves netted a hat-trick.
Hinckley will be without the ineligible Ben Whitehead, but new signing Danny Fraser is in contention to make his debut after signing from Coventry Sphinx. Chandler Pegg has already played, and scored, against Belper this season – having beaten them in the FA Cup with his former club Lichfield City.
Belper United groundshare with Belper Town at their Raygar Stadium, Christchurch Meadow, Bridge Street, Belper, Derbyshire, DE56 1BA. Supporters driving to Belper are advised that there is very limited parking on site. Belper suggest using the River Gardens Car Park, DE56 1AX or the Field Lane Car Park, DE56 1AX. These are both pay and display and are a short walk to the ground.
Adults: £7
Concessions: £5
