A year after facing the same team at the same stage, Hinckley AFC take on Highgate United in the Emirates FA Cup extra preliminary round this weekend.
This time last year, Hinckley beat Highgate 3-1 at Kirkby Road to make progress into the preliminary round and they’ll aim for a repeat of that again this weekend.
It would be a valuable first win of the campaign for Joe Conneely and his side, as they take a break from league action at this early stage of the season.
But the manager will be forced into a defensive re-shuffle with Ky Green not fit after coming off with a groin problem in Wednesday’s game at Coventry United.
The opposition
This will be Highgate’s first competitive game of the new season, with their Midland League Premier Division campaign not set to start until next weekend. They remained at step five courtesy of a reprieve over the summer, despite finishing second bottom last season, because of OJM Black Country’s demotion. Their leading scorer from last season, five-goal Kyle Hayden, has is registered again this season
From the dressing room
“We waited until late in pre-season to watch Highgate so we’ve done all we can to prepare well for it, and Malc (Ward, Highgate manager) watched us in midweek. We’ve got a good idea of what to expect, but we don’t know lots about the players they’ve got. We beat them this time last year and hopefully we can do the same again. We want to be playing Long Eaton in two weeks’ time.
“The FA Cup is a brilliant competition, the best in the world. We want to try and make more history in it if we can, but we’ve got a difficult tie, and even more difficult one if we get through this weekend. It’s an honour to manage in the FA Cup and should be the same for the players to play in it.”
Joe Conneely
Key information
If the match ends as a draw, then a replay will take place this coming Tuesday, 5th August, at Highgate’s The Coppice ground at 7.45pm. The winners of the tie will host step four Long Eaton United in a fortnight’s time. They will also receive £1,125 from the FA’s prize pot, with the losers taking home £375.
Kirkby Road has a large on-site car park, and we have both cash and card turnstiles available. Season tickets and membership discounts are not valid for this game.
Adults: £8
Concessions: £6
Under 16s: £2
