Haltwhistle Jubilee v Rothbury
Northumberland FA Minor Cup Round 4
Saturday 7th December 2019, kick-off 1.30pm
If I remember right, the last time Rothbury visited
Haltwhistle in the NFA Minor Cup the coach carrying the players broke down.
Ken Douglas hit a hat-trick for then manager Philip Bathgate
as Rothbury romped to a 6-0 success against Haltwhistle Red Star in 1998/99.
Tough-tackling Richie Bathgate, youngster Michael Atkin and skipper Gordon MacKenzie, with a
penalty, grabbed the others. Gordon could even afford the luxury of missing a
second spot-kick in the game.
But the visit to Haltwhistle Jubilee this weekend will prove
a very much harder proposition as the Alliance Second Division leaders have won
10 of their 11 League matches this term and were beaten finalists in the County
Cup competition in 2017/18.
With a glittering array of silverware rammed into the trophy
cabinet over the last few years, the Jube are a confident footballing side who know
how to win, so Rothbury are expecting a big test at The Burn and have prepared
accordingly.
“It’s a massive game,” said boss Dan Herron.
“We’ve made no secret that this is a
competition we really want to do well in, as everyone does with a County Cup.
We’ll probably have a tweak in formation for this one given the personnel we
have. We’re hoping to take a really strong squad over there for a good
competitive game.”
“Haltwhistle are a great team for sure, and
their record in the competition speaks for itself. I think in the last few
years they’ve been to the semis, final and quarters. They’re in good form in
the Alliance too, so we’ll have to be at our best on the road.”
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