Evesham United will be going all out to win their FA Trophy tie against Spennymoor Town at the first attempt – even if it means throwing goalkeeper Kevin Sawyer up front according to the Gloucestershire Echo.
He said: “We’ve got to go for it, that’s what I will be drumming into the players on Saturday.
“The last thing we want is a replay on Tuesday night. My goalkeeper could end up being centre forward!
“If it did go to a replay we’re looking to players to take at least a day if not two days off work because of it.
“It’s a game where we’ve really got to go for it from the first minute. I think they are leaving at quarter to eight and it will take them four-and-a-half hours to get to us so we’ve got to make sure we come out of the traps.
“It’s crazy. I’m happy we are in the draw but disappointed in the way we’ve been drawn against a team that far away.
“I just can’t see any sense in it if that’s meant to be regionalised.”
Spennymoor, formed in 2005 following the demise of both Spennymoor United and Evenwood Town, won the Northern League four times in five years as well as the FA Vase in 2013 before being promoted to the Northern League Premier Division in 2014 and they are currently fourth in Division One North, yet to taste an away defeat.
Among their ranks is Scott Kerr, who made over 200 appearances for Lincoln City as their club captain and helped York City win promotion to the Football League in 2013, and ex-Forest Green loanee Liam Henderson.
The club have paid for two supporters’ coaches to make the long journey and Collicutt says Evesham’s fans will have a part to play if they are going to progress against a side he knew little about until the draw was made.
“My first impressions are they look like they’re well supported, they won the FA Vase three seasons ago, they got a crowd on Saturday of 800 there and they’ve got a chairman there, who in fairness to him, is prepared to put his hand in his pocket and is paying for the supporters to watch the game on Saturday.
“Our last game was against Redditch at home and the fans were very good that day. The home fans got behind the team and we came away with a deserved victory so the more that get behind the team the better for everybody and hopefully we’ll see a few extra people there because the lads performed very well in the last home game.”
Collicutt saw the impact success in the FA Trophy can have when Cheltenham won the competition in 1998 before gaining promotion to the Football League the following season and with just two rounds to go until the big National League sides enter Evesham will not be short on motivation.
“It brings prestige to everybody. You look at Cheltenham and they got to the final a few years ago and look at the likes of Gosport Borough who did amazing getting to the final,” said Collicutt.
“The thing is success breeds success and the best thing you can have in any sport is winning mentality but we know it’s not going to be easy.”
Evesham have not played since their 1-0 win over Redditch in the last round as their Southern League Division One South and West game at North Leigh last Saturday was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
Linden Dovey faces a fitness test before the game but Collicutt is positive about his chances after he pulled a muscle in training last week.
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