‘I have a dream’- says Robinson

The Waterside men know they are 90 minutes away from facing the mighty Blues if they can overcome Coagh United in their JJB Sports Irish Cup sixth round replay, next Monday, afternoon (KO 2pm).

Last weekend, Newbuildings had to settle for a draw at Hagan Park before finding out that the winners of the tie would face the cup holders at Windsor Park next month.

“Players having that dream of playing Linfield, at Windsor Park and I think the more you talk about it, will spur them on more,” insisted Robinson.

“I feel the more we talk about it at training or just around the community, I feel it will encourage them to do better and maybe make them go that wee yard more in the replay.”

The Newbuildings gaffer also admitted that duo Wesley and Alan Wallace, who founded the club in 1991, will also be in shock at how far they have come as a club in such a short space of time.

“There is a big incentive there for both clubs, Linfield in the Irish Cup quarter-final.

“Maybe also there will also be a wee bit of money to be made but for the footballing side, I’m sure the two fella’s that started Newbuildings United FC back in 1991, they never dreamed a day like this could happen.

“We are touching distance away from playing at the national stadium, against the biggest club in the country at the quarter-final stages of the Irish Cup, I’m sure they never dreamt that, I can hardly believe it myself.”

Off the pitch, Robinson is a little disappointed that his side have to travel to Hagan Park again next week and he feels the powers that be at the Irish Football Association should instead of looking what facilities clubs have, they should instead look at playing surfaces.

“It’s more disappointing the condition of the pitch, if the people in football would have a look at pitches then they would probably know that Coagh’s pitch wouldn’t be playable,” he added.

“They have an intermediate cup tie on the Saturday and then us on the Monday and if that pitch is playable it will be a bigger shock than us beating Linfield,” joked Robinson.

Going into next Monday’s replay, the Newbuildings manager feels he should have a fully fit squad to choose from, with Gareth Falconer returning from injury, however Graham Moore may miss out.

“Hopefully Gareth Falconer will be back, he was touch and go for Saturday’s game, so he should be back for Monday and that will be a big plus in our attacking side to the team.

“We really only had one goalscorer in Ricky-Lee Dougherty available last Saturday, as the rest of the players were midfield players filling in.

“Unfortunately I think we might lose Graham to a university exam, but at the minute the rest of them haven’t come back to me saying ‘look I have to work and I can’t play’ a few have already told me that they are taking the day off and for some of them their shift work falls nicely for them, so I don’t think it will effect us that we have to play next Monday afternoon.”