High-flying Pinchbeck United may have gone an entire year without losing a Future Lions UCL fixture – but player/boss Ian Dunn knows that the next six weeks will test that record to the absolute limit.
The Knights, second in the Premier Division table, will be hot favourites to see off 18th-placed Wellingborough Whitworth at the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field on Saturday (3pm).
After that, however, they face a run of games that includes a trip to leaders Daventry Town, a home date with title hopefuls Eynesbury Rovers and the daunting trip to the always-strong Newport Pagnell Town. Throw in a League Cup clash with Deeping Rangers and Dunn feels his side will face a handful of the sides looking for silverware this season.
But he’s not looking past Whitworth, with something of a selection crisis on hands. Dunn himself, Stacy Cartwright, Jason Field, Chris Shipley, Tyler Wright, Ash Murrell and Jack Smith are all unavailable, while Andrew Tidswell is a doubt.
“Whitworth won’t be easy,” said the player/boss. “With so many missing, I suppose a struggling side at home is what you’d want.
“But there are no easy games at this level.
“Beyond Saturday’s game, the fixtures are as tough as we could hope for – we’re probably only missing Holbeach United of the big hitters.
“We’re obviously confident, but I think we’ll see exactly where we are after the next four or five fixtures. You’ve got to expect us to lose at some point, but I’ll be looking for the right response if and when that happens.”
Pinchbeck hope to seal a short-term deal for Yaxley’s Ewan Fieldhouse ahead of Saturday’s fixture.
