Gavin Hurren hopes Keys Park roar can drive in-form Hednesford Town to FA Cup progress

The Pitmen are no strangers to making headlines in the competition, having famously reached the fourth round in 1996/97, and made several first-round appearances over the past two decades - including just last season.

Now, welcoming Billericay Town in the third qualifying round tomorrow, Hurren hopes home advantage could make all the difference.

“Yes, it is always nice to be at home,” said Hurren. “There is nowhere like Keys Park when it’s rocking. 

“Every football fan says it is the biggest and best cup competition historically. I enjoy being in it, watching it, seeing the draws, seeing giant killings, it is everything.

“We have got a job to do. I want the fans to enjoy this because it is a tough season and days like this don’t come around often.

“We are coming up against a really good side who we don’t normally play. We will enjoy it. We will have a game plan, and then it is over to the boys and ourselves to hopefully secure the win.”

Hednesford enter the tie full of confidence after a flying start to their league campaign, sitting second in the Northern Premier League with six wins from their opening 10 matches. 

They also boast red-hot form in the cup, having put seven past Coleshill Town in the previous round - a game that saw Ahkeem Rose bag four goals. 

Rose continued his purple patch with a brace in last weekend’s league win over Gainsborough Trinity.

“I have been really happy with the start of the season,” continued Hurren. 

“The lads have been playing well, it takes a bit of time for the lads to click and to have that fluidity.

“We have worked hard, it’s a new league, and we are coming off the back of a good run. I can’t be more happy.

“We are going to lose games, it’s then looking at how that happens and to make sure that we learn and improve from it.”

Elsewhere, Halesowen Town host Aveley, aiming to reach the fourth qualifying round for the first time in more than 20 years.

Winning teams at this stage of the competition will pocket £5,625 in prize money, while losing sides will still collect £1,875.

In the Southern Central Premier, Stourbridge visit Barwell tonight (7.45pm k/o) looking to return to winning ways. Darryl Knight’s 15th-placed side have won just once in their past six league games. 

Meanwhile, in the National League North, Kidderminster Harriers will look to stretch their unbeaten run to six league games at Peterborough Sports, who are now managed by former Harriers boss Phil Brown. Brown departed Aggborough at the end of last season after suffering play-off heartbreak.