More than just local pride will be on the line for Pinchbeck United when they take on South Holland neighbours Holbeach United the FA Buildbase Vase on Friday night.
Promoted from the ChromaSport PDFL last season, the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field showdown is Pinchbeck’s first-ever game in the lucrative FA Vase – but the fact it’s against Holbeach makes it even more special.
Indeed, player/boss Ian Dunn admits that the derby is the kind of game that spurred the Knights on in their quest for promotion last season.
Win, lose or draw, the village club will know that they’ve arrived in non-league come 7.45pm on Friday.
But Dunn – who led his side to a 10-1 UCL KO Cup win over top flight St Andrews last weekend – insists that, despite the game being the biggest in the club’s history, there is very little pressure on his side.
He said: “This is the kind of game that makes all of the hard work over the last few years seem worth it. It’s the kind of match we all want to be involved in.
“For us, it’s probably the biggest game in our history. Just being in the FA Vase is huge, but taking on Holbeach United on a Friday night will be a real spectacle.
“But, while it’s such a big game for us, there is no pressure either.
“I just want the lads to go out and enjoy themselves, nobody is expecting us to beat Holbeach.
“It’s just a fantastic match for the club. We’ll not make it easy for them and will do what we always do.
We showed last weekend that we can beat UCL Premier Division opposition, but Holbeach will be a step up.”
Billed as favourites, Seb Hayes and his Holbeach side could be forgiven for thinking they have everything to lose.
Tigers chief Hayes, who saw his side revel in the role of underdogs at Grantham Town last weekend, isn’t concerned by Friday night’s role reversal.
While respectful of Pinchbeck’s progression as a club, he’s confident that his side have enough in their locker to get the job done.
However, he admits that it’s a 50/50 game and knows that the Knights will offer a stern test.
“They (Pinchbeck) will think that have nothing to lose and everything to gain,” admitted Hayes. “They are coming off the back of 10-1 win over a UCL Premier Division side, but we know we’ll be considered favourites.
“That’s fine, we can live with that. It’s their first season in the UCL, but we know they have class players like Andrew Tidswell and Nick Bishop, who have been there and done it at our level.
“It’s a cup game and a local derby on a Friday night, so both teams will be up for it and we know that it’s a 50/50 game. I believe that, if we go there and play to our potential and apply ourselves, we’ll win – I’m not scared of the favourites tag.
“But we’ll treat them with the same respect as every other side we face.
“They’ve got match-winners and have a manager in Ian Dunn that has done a great job over a sustained period. I respect that they’ve still got their sights set on coming up to the UCL Premier Division and that they aren’t resting on their laurels.
“They have our respect, but I believe that if we do our job, we’ll beat them.”
To further add further fuel to the South Holland rivalry, Pinchbeck have made a seven-day notice of approach for Holbeach hitman Charley Sanders. Dunn is adamant that the timing of their move is “a coincidence”, but accepts that the Tigers will see it as a “cheeky move”.
“Charley is probably a younger version of the type of player I used to be,” added Dunn. “That’s the kind of player we need here.
“Maybe it’s a cheeky effort from us, but he’d be great for us I’m sure. The timing wasn’t intentional, for sure.”
Pinchbeck are without Ash Murrell (injured) and Tom Brooks (banned), while Jack Smith is a doubt and Herbie Panting a transfer target for Huntingdon Town.
Holbeach are still missing right back Dan Jenkins and central defender Stacy Cartwright, but Joe Smith is fit enough to feature.
Both sides have midweek fixtures, with the Tigers visiting Boston Town on Tuesday (Lincs Cup, 7.45pm) and the Knights in UCL Division One action at Blackstones on Wednesday (7.45pm).
