TJ Vickers Cup final preview: Allscott and Alport battle for county glory

Allscott boss Steve Rogers said his side’s five-game unbeaten run should give them ‘a little bit of confidence’, while Whitchurch manager Adam Shillcock isn’t as focused on their form as injury and illness blighted the end of their campaign.

Both managers are backing their sides to lift the trophy at AFC Telford United's SEAH Stadium tonight (7.45pm) without needing to accommodate for their opponents. Shillcock said ‘they should be more concerned about how we can play’, while Rogers’ style is to concentrate on themselves.

On his preparation, Shillcock said: “On any given day, we can beat anybody at step five and we've proved that in, obviously, the FA Vase. 

“We're capable of doing that. It’s about, ‘How do we maintain consistency against, well, against everyone, in all honesty?’ 

“So, I'm not looking too much at the form which becomes irrelevant now, what we've done in the league, because they've had a bit of respite. 

“It's how they apply themselves in in in the next week that will count.

“We went out to watch Allscott twice before the end of the season and we've done what we consider, their strengths and weaknesses. I think I've said repeatedly throughout the course of it – we don't condition ourselves too much to the opposition.”

Allscott narrowly avoided relegation from North West Counties League Division One South on the last day of the season, beating play-off side Eccleshall who had won their previous four matches.

Rogers said: “It's not my style. We don't really seem to, although we do worry about other teams and what they're going to be like, we'd rather concentrate on ourselves. 

“We know, obviously locally, we know a lot of their players anyway, so I've seen them play once this season myself, that's all.

“And they impressed me with the energy levels and the organisation they've got, but on the day it's our 11 players against their 11 and, most managers would say, but I’d back my 11 against anybody around here. 

“So, win or lose, I'll back these lads 110% – no worries about that.”

He added: “Going five games unbeaten against those good teams should give us a little bit of confidence. We know it's going to be a tough game because Whitchurch, they got to the quarter-finals of the Vase and they've had a good run in the league,

“They've finished just outside the playoffs, in a difficult league, and they seem a good group and their togetherness is really good and fair play to them,

“But we’re obviously hoping to upset them in the final.”

After going far in cup competitions and earning their highest ever finish in the Midland League Premier Division - a level higher than Allscott - Shillcock is hoping for a trophy to go with his first full season in charge.

“I think it’s gone well, I probably hit the expectations of what I thought we were going to do and the stats won’t lie," he said. “The stats will tell you this is our highest ever finish at step five, our most ever wins recorded, our most ever clean sheets recorded, the least amount of players we've ever used in a calendar season, attendance is up 42 per cent.

“So, there's a balance of on and off the field successes there. Obviously, the bit that eludes us now is a piece of silverware to go with that.”