For some reason the Trophy has been overlooked by some Blue Square Premier teams in recent years with most of them focused on trying to gain promotion into the Football League.

That seems strange when the prize for just getting to the final is to play in a cup final at Wembley Stadium – probably the most famous arena in the world.

That is an experience that so many non-League players will never go through.

But with a number of teams from non-League football's top-flight showing little or no interest in the competition, it opens the door for clubs a little further down the ladder.

You only have to look back at last season to see what can happen.
AFC Telford United got all the way to the two-legged semi-final before eventually bowing out to York City.

But they beat some good sides along the way and that included dumping Kettering Town out at Rockingham Road.

There's no doubt that Graham Drury's main priority is to try to lead Corby to promotion and that is understandable.

But the FA Trophy is something that a club like Corby should take seriously because it only takes a couple of good results to get a fine run going.

Unfortunately, the Steelmen haven't had their fair share of luck with cup draws this season and Alfreton Town at home will be a very tough game.

But, as Hope acknowledged, if you are going to progress then you will have to beat some good teams along the way.

So there is no better place for Corby to start than at Rockingham Triangle today.

It's no secret that their home form hasn't been the best.
But this is knockout football and a win might just be the start of a run to remember.