THIS Sunday’s Liverpool Echo Knockout Trophy has thrown up a David v Goliath contest as Premier League Ormskirk take on Second Division Ainsdale.
Ainsdale, who are playing in their first ever Echo Final, are relishing their role as underdogs with their captain Dave Newcombe confident this could be a memorable season for the Liverpool Road side, as they celebrate their centenary year.
“We got ourselves a team together that would get promoted which is something we are on course to do but the Echo Cup has given us a lot of confidence along the way,” said Newcombe.
“The pressure should be on Ormskirk because they are favourites.
“We have beaten both First Division and Premier League sides to get here so the cup run has been good for us.”
Newcombe’s side currently lie second in the Bridging Finance Solutions Second Division, knowing that with a 25 point gap between them and third-placed Burscough, promotion is in their hands and the skipper is keen to praise a side which have only lost one league game all season.
“We have got a blend of youth and experience and teenagers like Steven Lucus, Tom Wainwright and Tom Prescott have done really well this season,” said Newcombe.
“We have backed that up with experienced players like Malcolm Swift and Nazim Mohammed and Dhurav Singh give us a very potent bowling unit.”
For Ormskirk captain Ian Robinson, the cup final is proving a welcome distraction from the stresses of a Premier League campaign which has seen the long time leaders slip to second behind a resurgent Northern.
“We have played good cricket all year, but after the season we have had we will be very disappointed not to win something,” said Robinson.
“We have been there or there abouts in a lot of competitions so we are keen to make sure we get something out of it and Sunday is the first opportunity to get a trophy in the cabinet.”
Despite the gap between the two sides Robinson is wary of the threat posed by lower league teams, pointing to the difficulties Ormskirk had in overcoming First Division Sefton Park in last year’s final.
“When we played Sefton Park we had to play very well to win so we know it won’t be easy,” said Robinson. “We knew a bit more about Sefton as they had been in the Premier recently but Ainsdale never have and I can only ever remember playing them once before in a cup game.”
The 38th Echo Knockout Trophy Final, takes place at Ormskirk’s Brook Lane ground on Sunday (noon).
FIXTURES
Premier League: Bootle v Lytham, Highfield v Hightown, Leigh v Rainford, New Brighton v Northop Hall, Northern v Colwyn Bay, Ormskirk v Newton-le-Willows. First Division: Alder v Orrell Red Triangle, Formby v Sefton Park, Liverpool v Southport and Birkdale, Maghull v Wallasey, Rainhill v Wigan, St Helens Recs v Prestatyn. Second Division: Ainsdale v Parkfield Liscard, Burscough v Skelmersdale, St Helens v Birkenhead St Mary’s, Southport Trinity v Caldy, Wavertree v Fleetwood Hesketh.
