High hopes for the season: AFC Emley manager Darren Hepworth believes his side are capable of pulling off an upset against Frickley Athletic tomorrow night
Darren Hepworth believes the Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup second round tie with Frickley Athletic could show the progress AFC Emley have made.
If Emley beat Frickley at the Welfare Ground, it would be a “big statement”, according to Hepworth.
The Toolstation NCEL Division One table toppers will face in-form Frickley, who sit three leagues higher in the Evo Stik Premier Division, tomorrow night.
Hepworth expects to have an almost full-strength side out and he told Non League Yorkshire: “We’re capable (of pulling off a shock win), but there is no question that it will be a really solid test for us.
“They are three Divisions higher than us, but we will come here and enjoy it.
“We’ll give them a real good test, I’m sure of that.
“If we did win it would send out a big statement and it will be a good test to see how far we have come.
“Every game is important to us. I know it sounds cliched, but when you are going well in the league, you want to win every game because of the momentum that carries you on.
“We are a club that wants to play in cup competitions.
“We need to start putting silverware in and the Sheffield Cup is a good one because before you know it, you are staring down at the opportunity of playing at Hillsborough.”
Promotion-chasers Emley’s season could not have started much better.
After 11 league games, Emley have won nine and lost two and are three points clear at the top.
The Village team have also reached the first round of the FA Vase and Hepworth says the club as a whole is heading in the right direction.
“It is going well and it is going well off-the-field,” he said.
“We have a lot of volunteers helping out and the club is shaping up really well.
“The development squad are going really well, playing some great stuff and they are top of their Division.
“The under 19s are just getting up and going and then with the first team I’m really pleased with the progress, but we are only into October so there is a lot of football to be played.
“We are top of the league and I would rather be there.
“It’s the best platform we have ever had at this stage of the season.
“It is a new experience for us (being top of the league) and it is a experience we are really enjoying.”
On the playing-front, Hepworth has plenty of people to call upon and he strengthened his forward line last week.
Ash Flynn, Emley’s 42-goal hero in 2012-13, returned to sign for the club he left last year to join Shaw Lane Aquaforce.
Hepworth is full of praise for his squad and admits that Flynn’s comeback just reinforces their strength.
“The thing is, now at Emley I have a plan A, plan B and a plan C,” he added.
“I look at my bench and think ‘yeah I can change systems , I can put on additional attacking threats.
“The changes I’m making aren’t weakening us. If someone is having one, I can replace him with someone equally as good.
“It’s most definitely the best squad I’ve ever had at Emley.
“Ash Flynn is the icing on the cake.
“He’ll score goals. He’s only coming back to fitness and he’s probably three or four weeks away.
“To have him here is a real coup and it shows how things are looking up for us.
“People were delighted when we signed him back because when he was here last, he got 42 goals.
“That was difficult to replace. But what we do have now is goals from probably seven or eight different players.
“The creatively in the side is very good so there is no doubt that Ash will have plenty of chances to get a good tally.
“I have been trying to get him back from the day he left. I have been watching his progress at Shaw Lane and Frickley, but his personal circumstances have led to an opportunity that has worked out for us and him.
“He actually approached us after watching us a couple of times recently and he text me to say that he liked the way we played so I didn’t have to sell it to him.”
Anthony Leech is ruled out, but captain Paul Sykes and Steven Kenworthy will return.