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A 3-0 demolition of Coventry Sporting at the Moat Ground on Saturday followed by a home draw in the third round of the FA Vase has set the pulses racing down South Derbyshire way.

The visit of Hucknall Colliery Welfare on December 13th will not be a formality, but Rovers have tantalisingly set themselves up to progress further in the competition than ever before.

The road that ultimately leads to Wembley Way is a tortuously long one. Rovers have already negotiated three hurdles and even if they beat the Nottinghamshire side they will still have only reached the last 32.

But that would be their best performance in the competition and, given the sort of luck with which they so far been blessed in the draw, they must have a realistic chance of progressing further still.

Northwood is a wise old owl who will look no further than the next game.

Yet he hinted that Gresley could be on the brink of something substantial when he gave his assessment of Rovers’ victory over Coventry.

He said: “That was our best display of the season and we should have nothing to fear if we can play like that every week.”

Hucknall, though, should not be underestimated and, like their Nott’s Alliance compatriots Rainworth MW, they have created something of a tradition for successful sorties in the Vase.

Last season they reached the sixth round before bowing out at Warrington, who were good enough to take the eventual winners Halesowen to a semi-final replay.

Along the way Hucknall accounted for some good sides, including coincidentally Coventry Sporting 3-0, Bilston, also of the Southern League, by 5-1 and the powerful Northern Leaguers Newcastle Blue Star.

That is irrefutable proof of the fact that Rovers will probably have to function at their most efficient level.