Hyde on a hiding to nothing against Stevenage

Non-League notebook

Tomorrow Hyde United will try to do what no GM Vauxhall Conference club has managed to do in recent weeks, and beat Stevenage Borough. The Cheshire club, currently second in the UniBond League Premier Division, take on the Conference leaders at their Ewen Fields ground in the pick of the FA Umbro Trophy quarter-finals.

Last weekend's 4-1 thrashing of Kidderminster extended Stevenage's unbeaten Conference run to 17 matches, of which they have won 13, with 52 goals scored and only 15 conceded. In their last two league away games they have scored 11 goals: five at Stalybridge followed by six at Slough. With two games in hand, they lead second-placed Hednesford by six points - an advantage they could extend even further when, unless they are involved in a Trophy replay, they travel to Hednesford on Monday.

It is a formidable task for Hyde but under their manager, Mike McKenzie, they have tasted defeat just twice in 12 games against Conference opposition and, only last week, they overcame the Conference champions, Macclesfield Town, to reach the final of the Cheshire Senior Cup. One Hyde player Stevenage will have to watch closely is the highly rated striker Ged Kimmins, a current England non-League international, who scored all his side's goals in their 4-0 Trophy second round win over Welling.

Elsewhere in the quarter- finals another UniBond League club, Dave Sutton's Chorley, entertain Gateshead. There is one all-Conference tie (Bromsgrove against Northwich) while Macclesfield travel to the Beazer Homes League side, Gresley Rovers, whose management team is Paul Futcher and Garry Birtles.

n The UniBond League club Droylsden have named Arthur Albiston, the former Manchester United full-back, as their new manager.