Manager Scott Hellewell says Lincoln United want silverware as they prepare to take on Bourne Town in Wednesday’s Lincolnshire FA County Trophy final.
The Whites, who are hoping to retain the trophy after winning it in 2024, overcame Brigg Town on penalties in the semi-finals.
The Jakemans Community Stadium, home of Boston United, will be the setting as Hellewell hopes to lift his first silverware as boss.
Lincoln are currently top of the UCL Premier Division North with three games to play, five points above Wednesday’s opponents Bourne, having beaten them twice already this campaign.
Ahead of the match, Hellewell said: “I’m sure Bourne will be trying to prove a point because I think we beat them both times we played them this season, so they’ll be smarting from that.
“I’m sure they’ll come at us and do everything they can to win the game, but we’ll match that because we want silverware, that’s what everyone is in football for aren’t they.”
United are unbeaten in their last 19 games, and are pushing on three fronts with a league cup final to come after the end of the regular season. They came from behind to beat Ashby Ivanhoe in their most recent outing.
“We now need to concentrate on a cup game, which there is pressure on because it’s a cup final, but maybe not as much pressure as a league game,” Hellewell added.
The Whites boss lifted the lid on his possible cup final line-up, with one eye on the mammoth league fixture against second-placed Eastwood CFC on Saturday. He said: “We’re going to have to make changes, and maybe we would anyway, but there’s a rule with the Lincs Cup you have to be signed on by the quarter final stage, which was November.
Hellewell continued: “We’ve had players leave and come in since then. We’ve got the two Lincoln City lads who can’t play [Gbolahan Okewoye and Kelly Fombad], Jack Varley who can’t play, Henry [Moore] who is away so we’ve got five or six missing.
“We are pretty much bare bones in a way. I think we’ve got 12 first teamers who are involved every week and then Phil McGann, I might have to name myself and Grimsey [Paul Grimes], even though he’s injured.
“Despite that we’ve got a really good squad, and we believe in this squad so even with changes I don’t think it’s going to affect us massively.”
Lincoln United have a minimum of five crucial games still to play in what has been a long, taxing season.
But, with the opportunity of a treble, including promotion back to step-four of the non-league pyramid still to play for, they have every right to be excited as we reach the crescendo of the campaign.