Adhering to the truism that two heads are better than one has certainly paid dividends for jointly-managed Matlock Town in The Buildbase FA Trophy thus far.
The Buildbase FA Trophy
First Round
3pm, Saturday 10 December 2016
The Automated Technology Group Stadium
By Freddie Stewart
“It’s our ninth season now so we’ve lasted longer than an average marriage,” Hopkins joked.
“I played with Glenn about 15 years ago, we just knew straight away that we saw the game in the same way, that we wanted to play the same way and it works really well.
“Sometimes we see things differently and it’s good to come backwards and forwards and eventually come to an outcome, but nine times out of ten we see things the same way.”
Having already dispatched Spennymoor Town and Grantham Town, the Evo-Stik Premier League outfit beat holders Halifax 3-2 in a memorable replay to reach the First Round but face an even sterner test in National League side Solihull Moors.
Last weekend, Moors’ fairytale Emirates FA Cup run came to an end at the Second Round stage after a 6-2 defeat away to League Two’s Luton Town – a match Hopkins paid close attention to.
“Playing away at a Football League club, I don’t think any result’s a disgrace,” he added.
“At half-time they were 2-0 up. They’ve obviously got something about them because we’ve seen the highlights from the first half and they were superb.
“We’ve got a good idea of what to expect from them but we’ll play our own game, that’s what we always do.
“We’ll concentrate on what works well for us and we won’t talk too much about them in our team talk.
“If we’re at our maximum and if Solihull aren’t quite at it on the day then you never know.”
FA Trophy History
Matlock have pedigree in the FA Trophy – winning the competition back in 1975, just two years before reaching the Third Round of the FA Cup.
This season is the third time in the last five years they have reached at least the First Round Proper. Solihull Moors’ best showing in the competition came in 2012/13 when they reached the Second Round before falling to eventual winners Wrexham. However, both Solihull Borough and Moor Green – the clubs that were merged to form Solihull Moors in 2007 – reached the Fourth Round during their existences.
Did you know?
Co-manager Craig Hopkins is targeting his second appearance at Wembley, having appeared as a player in the FA Trophy final for Kettering Town against Kingstonian in 2000. Hopkins said: “Our goalkeeping coach Adam Sollitt was the goalkeeper for Kettering that day as well. We lost 3-2 unfortunately.”
The match was one of the last competitive games to be played at the old Wembley.
One to Watch
Highly-rated Jamey Osborne only joined Solihull Moors in the summer having agreed a switch from Redditch United and scored twice in his club’s 6-2 FA Cup defeat to Luton. The 24-year-old came through the youth ranks at Hednesford Town and made almost 200 appearances for the Pitmen before joining Redditch.
The attacking midfielder is sure to be full of confidence heading into the game after his double against League Two opposition last weekend.
The prize
At stake is a place in the last 16 of the competition, alongside £5,000 in prize money. Having successfully negotiated three qualifying rounds, Matlock have already picked up £9,950 on their way to the First Round.
Town have both Craig Hopkins and Glenn Kirkwood in charge and if such a set-up might appear to be fraught with complication, Hopkins is adamant it works. And their success since joining from Mickleover Sports during the summer, which includes knocking out FA Trophy holders Halifax Town in Third Round Qualifying, certainly bears that out.
Solihull Moors v Matlock Town
The Buildbase FA Trophy
First Round
3pm, Saturday 10 December 2016
The Automated Technology Group Stadium
By Freddie Stewart
“It’s our ninth season now so we’ve lasted longer than an average marriage,” Hopkins joked.
“I played with Glenn about 15 years ago, we just knew straight away that we saw the game in the same way, that we wanted to play the same way and it works really well.
“Sometimes we see things differently and it’s good to come backwards and forwards and eventually come to an outcome, but nine times out of ten we see things the same way.”
Having already dispatched Spennymoor Town and Grantham Town, the Evo-Stik Premier League outfit beat holders Halifax 3-2 in a memorable replay to reach the First Round but face an even sterner test in National League side Solihull Moors.
Last weekend, Moors’ fairytale Emirates FA Cup run came to an end at the Second Round stage after a 6-2 defeat away to League Two’s Luton Town – a match Hopkins paid close attention to.
“Playing away at a Football League club, I don’t think any result’s a disgrace,” he added.
“At half-time they were 2-0 up. They’ve obviously got something about them because we’ve seen the highlights from the first half and they were superb.
“We’ve got a good idea of what to expect from them but we’ll play our own game, that’s what we always do.
“We’ll concentrate on what works well for us and we won’t talk too much about them in our team talk.
“If we’re at our maximum and if Solihull aren’t quite at it on the day then you never know.”
FA Trophy History
Matlock have pedigree in the FA Trophy – winning the competition back in 1975, just two years before reaching the Third Round of the FA Cup.
This season is the third time in the last five years they have reached at least the First Round Proper. Solihull Moors’ best showing in the competition came in 2012/13 when they reached the Second Round before falling to eventual winners Wrexham. However, both Solihull Borough and Moor Green – the clubs that were merged to form Solihull Moors in 2007 – reached the Fourth Round during their existences.
Did you know?
Co-manager Craig Hopkins is targeting his second appearance at Wembley, having appeared as a player in the FA Trophy final for Kettering Town against Kingstonian in 2000. Hopkins said: “Our goalkeeping coach Adam Sollitt was the goalkeeper for Kettering that day as well. We lost 3-2 unfortunately.”
The match was one of the last competitive games to be played at the old Wembley.
One to Watch
Highly-rated Jamey Osborne only joined Solihull Moors in the summer having agreed a switch from Redditch United and scored twice in his club’s 6-2 FA Cup defeat to Luton. The 24-year-old came through the youth ranks at Hednesford Town and made almost 200 appearances for the Pitmen before joining Redditch.
The attacking midfielder is sure to be full of confidence heading into the game after his double against League Two opposition last weekend.
The prize
At stake is a place in the last 16 of the competition, alongside £5,000 in prize money. Having successfully negotiated three qualifying rounds, Matlock have already picked up £9,950 on their way to the First Round.
