ROB Hopley expects to feel strange playing against a club where he was a favourite for eight seasons when Witton Albion visit Colwyn Bay in the FA Trophy on Saturday.

However the in-form front man told the Guardian that will only make him more determined.

“I’d be upset to back there and lose,” he said.

“It might be odd to sit in the away dressing room, to warm up at a different end of the pitch or to kick towards a goal I’m not used to in the second half, but all of that will fire me up more too.

“I left there on good terms, and some of my friends will be in their side, but I came to Witton hoping to go on to better things.

“That’s why it’s important we get through!”

Hopley, who increased his goal tally for the campaign to 10 with Albion’s opener in a 4-1 win against Loughborough last weekend, left the Welsh outfit last November.

He scored more 100 times during his spell there, prompting them to describe him as a ‘hero’ in a statement announcing his departure for Wincham Park.

However the 31-year-old’s attention now is on helping Albion back to the Northern Premier League’s top flight.

They sit fourth in Division One South after collecting four points from back-to-back home games last week.

“It’s perhaps a little bit of a surprise that we’ve started so well,” said Hopley.

“There was a moment in pre-season, after the likes of Danny Andrews and Tom Schofield left, when I’ll admit I was worried.

“I don’t feel like that now.

“We’ve gelled really quickly as a group, and the atmosphere in the dressing room is a lot better than it was at the end of last season.

“We’re playing in a different way, but we’re scoring plenty of goals and winning games.”

It’s a run he hopes continues at Llanelian Road in a first qualifying round encounter.

“I smiled to myself when I saw the draw,” he added.

“Hopefully I still will be on Saturday night.”

If the game ends in a draw, then Witton host Colwyn Bay in a replay on Tuesday.