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Moat boss Steve Dolby returned from the Northamptonshire club’s 2-0 second round FA Vase replay victory at Halesowen Harriers complaining: “Of all the possible draws we could have had, this was the one I didn’t want.”

The newly crowned Beazer Midland manager-of-the-month for October leads his side down the M1 on November 21st knowing the Irthlingborough clash pits two of the Vase favourites together at an uncomfortably early stage of the competition.

Gresley’s hopes of a Wembley return were high as the season dawned with the South Derbyshire club rightly vaunted among the bookies top choices for the trophy.

But Dolby admitted after Monday’s draw: “I was hoping to avoid clubs like Rushden until the latter stages of the competition. If we’re one of the favourites they’re among the second favourites and it will be tough for us. But I’m not writing off our chances – you have to take them as they come. It’s probably the hardest game we’ll get in the competition.”

Dolby’s fears are based on the fact that the Northants side – formed by the amalgamation last year of Rushden Town and Irthlingborough Diamonds – have splashed out big bucks to build a championship side – recently shelling out a staggering £9,000 to recruit defender Joe Coe from VS Rugby.

Rushden have lost just once in the league – “a record that’s better than ours” – but have found it hard to get into the winning habit, drawing no fewer than six of their opening 10 games.

Dolby’s selection as Beazer Midland manager-of-the-month for October is “recognition of the way the team has performed,” says the Moat supremo.

“I’m a bit surprised because we went the first two months unbeaten and I didn’t get it,” said Dolby.

“But we still won six out of eight in October and beat a Premier Division side for the second time in the League Cup so it wasn’t a bad month.”