Hednesford Town open their FA Trophy campaign with a home tie against Bedworth United on Saturday looking to make it three successive victories in three different Cup competitions inside a week.
Rob Smith’s side easily beat Stone Dominoes 4-1 on Tuesday night in the Staffs Senior Cup but made slightly harder work of Nuneaton Griff in the FA Cup six days ago.
Since winning the Trophy so famously at Villa Park in 2004 with current Assistant Manager, Chris Brindley, scoring one of the most iconic goals in the Club’s history, The Pitmen have had mixed fortunes in the competition since.
A hotly disputed Tom Marshall disallowed goal condemned them to a 1-0 loss against Forest Green Rovers in the Third Round in 2009 and a defeat by Burton Albion in the Fourth Round in 2004/2005 saw the holders give up their title, a result which stands as their most successful campaign in the competition since their 3-2 victory over Canvey Island eight years ago.
Rob Smith stated on Friday morning that despite the Club’s history in the competition he will be treating the game like no other, even though his assistant Brindley is rather proud of his goal at Villa Park.
‘I just want to win the game like I would any other and, to me, history is history. Although I must admit there isn’t a day goes by when Brinner doesn’t mention that goal.’
The Pitmen played Bedworth United in a pre-season friendly earlier this year with both teams battling out a 1-1 draw and The Greenbacks, currently at the same level in the league pyramid as
Hednesford, despite only scoring five goals in their opening eight league games and losing to Barwell in the FA Cup last week will no doubt prove a stern test for Rob Smith’s side.
Smith is sceptical about preening too much from their pre-season meeting but is fully ware of the threat the team from Warwickshire present, ‘The earlier meeting doesn’t give me too much insight, and vice versa for them but I have had Bedworth watched in competitive action and they are a talented side.’
The Pitmen squad are showing a clean bill of health for the fixture save for the continuing injury struggles of Sean O’Connor who is rated 50/50 with a back injury.
The Hednesford manager has spoken of his enjoyment of Cup competitions in recent weeks and, with a huge FA Cup game against Buxton looming next Saturday, he will no doubt be looking for another positive result and performance.
Pitmen Form – WWWLWW
Previous Result – Hednesford Town 4 Stone Dominoes 1 – Tuesday 25th September – Staffs Senior Cup Round 1
Next Fixture – Tividale (H) – B’ham Senior Cup – Tuesday 2nd October 7.45pm KO
League Position – 3rd
Bedworth Form – LDWWWL
Previous Result – Barwell 3 Bedworth United 2 – Saturday 15th September – FA Cup Second Round Qualifying
Next Fixture – Weymouth (H) – Evo-Stik Southern Premier Division
League Position – 12th
KO – 3pm
Address of Ground – Keys Park, Keys Park Road, Hednesford, WS12
