Eynesbury manager Mark Ducket admits Hunts Senior Cup success would provide a fairytale end to his first season in management.

The rookie boss (32) has enjoyed an outstanding start to his Rovers reign by masterminding a charge into the top six of the United Counties League Premier Division.

And they transferred that fine form into knockout competition when dumping out holders Godmanchester Rovers in a Senior Cup semi last Tuesday night.

Matty Bannister struck twice against his former club to inspire a thumping 4-0 success.

Leading scorer Lee Bassett and substitute Owen Dixon grabbed the other goals to set up a mouthwatering final showdown against higher-level St Ives Town next month.

The showpiece clash is at the Premier Plus Stadium – the home of St Neots Town – on April 13 as Eynesbury attempt to lift the trophy for the first time in 14 years.

Ducket said: “It’s fantastic to have a realistic chance of winning a trophy in my first season in management.

“I’m absolutely overjoyed to be through to the final – even more so as it is being staged in my family’s hometown and at a club where I had an enjoyable spell as a player.

“We probably shouldn’t be there on paper, but massive credit must go to my players for making it happen.

“I’m delighted for the lads as they have responded brilliantly in training and generally performed superbly in games since I came into the club at the beginning of December.

“Everyone at the club is looking forward to it although we will rightly be underdogs against a team doing extremely well in challenging for a play-off spot at the level above us.

“But we know we need to do ourselves justice on a big night as the opportunity to play in a big final at a good ground doesn’t come around every day.

“But we need to put it to the back of our minds for now as it is a long way off.”

There is certainly no chance of Eynesbury being under-estimated in the showpiece clash.

St Ives boss Ricky Marheineke said: “We put St Neots out and Eynesbury put the holders out so we’re both in the final on merit.

“The competition might not be top of my priority list right now as we’re chasing a play-off place, but it is still one I want to win.

“I’ll probably have a 19-man squad by the time the final comes around and I will put out a team capable of winning.

“It certainly won’t be easy though. Eynesbury had an outstanding result in their semi-final and have been doing superbly in the UCL.

“I’m not surprised by that as they have some very good players.”

St Ives haven’t lifted the flagship county trophy since 2012.