The defender was at Guisborough Town as they reached the Third Round Qualifying a year ago - featuring in TheFA.com’s Road to Wembley series – but Hollingsworth was forced to watch from the sidelines after breaking his foot in the previous round.
Ahead of Tuesday night’s replay at Dunston, the former York City man is hoping he can help his new club from Teesside go on a similar Cup journey this time around – one that he can feature him.
Dunston UTS v Marske United
The FA Cup First Round Qualifying
7.30pm, Tuesday 16 September 2014
UTS Stadium, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear
Winning club will receive £3,000
“It was great to get on the scoresheet, especially in the circumstances with it being in The FA Cup.” Hollingsworth told TheFA.com.
“I hit it sweetly, and it’s nice to get a long-ranger, but it was really overshadowed by the result – and the fact that Jamie Owens’ equaliser for us was a great strike as well!”
The goal was just reward for Hollingsworth, especially with the injury picked up in last season’s competition.
“I missed nearly all of last season after breaking my foot for Guisborough,” he explained. “It was the last minute of the match, and we had pulled off a bit of a Cup upset by beating Bridlington, but I was gutted.
“I literally just played a pass back to our ‘keeper and went over and I felt the pain straight away.”
He continued: “It was really hard for me to take, and not just from a football point of view.
"Obviously I’d have liked to have featured when the cameras came to our next game, but I also had to have six weeks off work, so financially it took its toll too after I’d just got married.
"I’d love a Cup run with the club this season to make up for last year"
Marske United's Darren Hollingsworth
“It took a lot for me to get back playing and getting my confidence back, but I’ve managed to get myself into the first-team here now, and I’d love a Cup run with the club this season to make up for last year.”
Hollingsworth and his Marske team-mates will make the journey up the A1 on Tuesday in confident spirits, and he believes that the mood within the squad can help the side from Mount Pleasant secure a home tie with Spennymoor Town in the next round.
“It was a tough game, but a good one on Saturday. They had done their homework on us and came with a plan,” he said.
“But we will take the positives from it. Both their goals came down to individual errors from us, so we know we can improve and progress on Tuesday if we can cut them out.
“We are a good group of lads, and have a great team spirit, and we will bounce back together.”
