St Neots Town are seeking redemption while local rivals Eynesbury are chasing another shock in the biggest occasion of the local season.
Saints entertain Rovers in the Hunts Senior Cup final tonight (Wednesday) at the Premier Plus Stadium, 7.45pm.
It’s a repeat of the showpiece clash last term when Rovers embarrassed their higher-level hosts to lift the trophy with a 1-0 victory.
And Saints boss Matt Clements insists there can be no repeat. He said: “We looked like the Step 5 team in last season’s final rather than the Step 3 side and losing was a bitter pill to swallow. It would be a huge dampener to suffer another defeat like that on our home turf and in our last game.
“We have a better team compared to 12 months ago, but nights like this aren’t all about quality.
“Hunger, determination and desire also come into it and Eynesbury will have those things. We’ll treat them with the utmost respect.
“It’s been a hugely positive season and we want to end it with silverware.”
Eynesbury manager Mark Ducket, who celebrates his 35th birthday today, believes simply making another final is a fine effort.
He said: “We’re over the moon to reach the final for the third season running. It’s a great achievement with two Step 3 teams in the county and two other Step 5 teams in higher league positions than ourselves.
“It will be a much tougher task than last year. Matt has done a great job at St Neots, getting rid of a lot of deadwood and creating a team full of young and exciting players.
“They’re the better team and they’re the fresher team as well. It will be our ninth game in 15 days whereas they have only had two or three in that time.
“We’ll need to be at our very best just to compete, but all the pressure is on them.
“It’s just a shame the Hunts FA have set the prices so high. I would love it to be cheaper to attract a bigger crowd.”
St Neots won at fellow Step 3 side St Ives in the semi-final, while Eynesbury have overcome fellow Step 5 outfits Godmanchester Rovers and Yaxley.
Admission tonight is £8 for adults and £5 for children/concessions.
Hunts Senior Cup final squads
St Neots Town: George Bugg, Scott Sinclair, Johnny Herd, Liam McDevitt, Taylor Parr, Tom Wood, Jack Bradshaw, Luke Knight, David Bridges, Kyran Wiltshire, Jonny Butler, Dylan Williams, Stefan Broccoli, Jordan Norville-Williams, Dion Sembie-Ferris, Nabil Shariff.
Eynesbury Rovers: Aaron Butcher, Curtis Hartley, Matt Clifford, James Ducket, Jack Uttridge, Jack Warwick, Hayden Bream, Rob Ducket, Jordan Brown, Danny Draper, Matt Miles, Craig Smith, James Tricks, Nathan Westley, Cavan King, Jack Mudge.
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