Harrow Borough boss Steve Baker has revenge on his mind as his side prepare to do battle with Swindon Supermarine in the FA Trophy third round on Saturday.
Boro were beaten 2-1 in the Pitching In Southern Premier South meeting between the sides in October but were at their best in the last round of the Trophy, winning 4-2 at National League South outfit Concord Rangers.
Harrow reached the semi-finals of the competition in 1983 and Baker is looking forward to the next step in this season’s journey as his side head to Wiltshire.
“Swindon will be just as excited and optimistic as we are, it’s a winnable tie for both sides,” he said.
“We lost there and it was one of the best performances we’ve delivered all season, so we know it’s going to be a really tough game. But if we’re at it, we’ll have a chance.”
This is already Harrow’s best performance in this competition for over two decades and anticipation around the club is at fever pitch, with a match against the likes of Southend United or Wrexham within touching distance for Baker’s cup heroes.
Though the Boro boss, who has been in the hot seat at Earlsmead for seven years, is in two minds over his dream tie should Harrow progress.
“Cup competitions are funny because if you get through, a part of you wants to play as lower ranked side as possible to give you the best chance of getting through,” he said.
“On the flip side, there’s nothing worse than getting a draw that isn’t so great and going out – you almost feel like you’ve missed a trick.
“If we do get through, I think we would love to get a home draw firstly, and then if not, the bigger team, the better.”
Harrow are one of more than 200 Trident League clubs financially supported by Southern League partners Pitching In, who recently launched a Volunteer Hub to advertise opportunities for members of the community to help out their local club.
And Baker hopes the Reds can reward all their dedicated volunteers who help the club to thrive both on and off the field with another memorable day out this weekend.
“We were knocked out early in the FA Cup but we’ve picked up some form and we’re looking stronger now,” he said.
“It’s great for the club and it’s good to repay the people who support us. Financially it’s been great and we’ve earnt a decent amount in prize money, so it’s an exciting time.”
Ladbrokes, with the support of its owner Entain, has launched a multi-million-pound investment programme, Pitching In, designed to support and promote grassroots sports. For more details see: https://entaingroup.com/sustainability/pitching-in/
