iPro Sport Cup: Dons boss Thornton targets cup run ahead of first round draw

Dons boss Gary Thornton is hoping an early Christmas present in the form of a home tie in tonight's iPro Sport Cup first round draw.
Gary ThorntonGary Thornton
Gary Thornton

The draw, to be broadcast live on Radio Leeds at 6.15pm, is again split into two regional groups with the Dons finding themselves in the North and Midlands group containing all the big guns.

League One newcomers Toronto have not entered the competition with crack amateur side Rochdale Mayfield filling their spot in Doncaster’s group.

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“Obviously the league is our top priority but I’d also like to think we could do well in the iPro Cup and also have a bit of a run in the Challenge Cup which we enter the following week,” Thornton told The Star.

“We didn’t make much of an impact in the competition last season and we’d like to do better this year and make it to the final and win the club some silverware.

“Were we to do that it would be tremendous for team spirit and I’m sure it would help boost our league campaign – though Keighley fell away a bit for some reason after they won it last season.

“As with any cup competition it helps if you get the luck of the draw and we’d much prefer to be drawn at home tonight rather than having to travel up to Cumbria to face either Barrow, Workington or Whitehaven - neither of whom would be easy.”

The first round ties will be played on February 18/19.

The final is again being staged at Blackpool’s Bloomfield Road as part of the Summer Bash for Championship clubs over the Spring Bank Holiday in late May.