Golcar United will have a big following in the stands as they aim to finish another season with some silverware.
Last season the Weavers beat the odds to lift the play-off final trophy and win promotion and now, after their first season in the Northern Counties East League, the club has reached the League Cup final.
Golcar travel to Doncaster Rovers’ Eco-Power Stadium on Tuesday May 2 (7.30) aiming to bring back more silverware. The village is behind them and the club is taking a coachload of fans from the Skye Direct Stadium.
Golcar finished ninth in the table and will be underdogs against opponents Winterton Rangers, who were runners-up to champions North Ferriby.
Joint boss Ash Connor, in charge with brother Gav, said: “It’s very exciting and we are a minimum of 90 minutes away from winning our first piece of silverware at this level.
“Hopefully we’ll take lots of fans there and they’ll make some noise. All the lads want to be picked so it’s going to be a tough decision to see who plays. All me and Gav can do is pick the team, then it’s up to the players.”
Brothers in arms: Ash and Gav Connor in action and with last season’s play-off trophy. Pictures by: SEAN DOYLE
Golcar took time to adapt to the new league in the early months of the season but once they hit their stride they proved a match for the best in the division, drawing both times with Winterton and also with local rivals Emley AFC, who finished third.
Connor added: “We’ve drawn with Winterton twice in the league, so we know how tough a fixture it will be. They are a very good side and haven’t come second in the league for nothing. We will have to play at our very best.”
Golcar come into the match in great heart, however, buoyed by a dramatic semi-final victory over Emley, in front of a club record 1,320 crowd.
The game finished goalless after extra-time and it needed no fewer than 28 penalties in an incredible shoot-out to separate the two sides. Golcar eventually won through 13-12 to reach the final.
Looking back at the semi-final, Connor admitted his prediction couldn’t have been more wrong! “I said before that match there would be loads of goals but it ended 0-0,” he said. “Still, it was an entertaining game with both sides having a chance to win it.
“You can’t do anything as a manager once it goes to penalties, all you can do is watch and hope. The lads did us proud. I was pleased for Dan Stocker who missed his first penalty but scored his second one which he took well under real pressure.
“The scenes at the end were fantastic and we want to see similar celebrations for us at the end of Tuesday’s game too.
“It would be a fantastic achievement for us to win the cup in our first season at step 5 football.”
