Cup run vital for Horncastle Town's league ambitions - Stones

That is the view of joint manager Mickey Stones as the Wongers prepare to face Ruston Sports in two knockout competitions in the space of three weekends.

Town will travel to Newark Road to face Rustons in the Mason Bros Lincs Junior Cup on Saturday (KO 3pm), before returning on October 14 for a Supplementary Cup clash.

Either side of those meetings will be a league contest at Nettleham.

But with Heckington United withdrawing from the league and Louth Town going the same way, Stones believes the cup games are equally as important for the club’s ambitions of claiming the league title.

“We need to win our cup games or we could have too many weekends without a game,” he said.

“With the league being smaller now there will be more Saturdays when we don’t have a game.

“It’s important to stay in the cups to be playing regularly.

“Otherwise that could really affect our preparation for the league.”

Rustons currently sit second bottom of the league, but Stones says there is no way his squad will underestimate their opponents.

“They’ve got a very good side,” he added.

“I look at a list of their team and I know every player and I know they are all very good players.

“I don’t think the start they’ve had is a fair representation of the side they’ve got.

“Plus we’ll be playing on their 3G pitch, which is a real leveller.”