HE has endured despair but Phil Midworth hopes 2011 will finally be the year for FA Cup delight.

The Solihull Moors skipper has suffered heartache in losing twice in the final qualifying round but he is hoping to make it third time lucky to progress to the first round proper for the first time in his – and the club’s – history.

That would be a dream come true but the defender – Solihull’s second longest serving player – is fully aware that opponents Grantham Town will be determined to create a Damson Park nightmare today.

“I’ve never played in the first round,” said Midworth, who joined the then Moor Green from Burton Albion in 2005.

“I’ve been in the fourth qualifying round on two occasions but I’ve never got to the first round. Hopefully this will be the year. It would be great to have a run.

“We played Morecambe with Moor Green and we were within a couple of minutes of getting through. Andy Penny missed a header in the last ten minutes and that would have settled the tie. But it just wasn’t to be our day.

“We also went to Rushden & Diamonds but we got battered. It was nice to play in front of a big crowd but we lost so it’s not a happy memory.”

There have not been too many memorable moments so far this season but Midworth feels Marcus Bignot’s Moors are now finding their feet.

A glimmer of Cup glory would also help spark their league campaign to help them climb off the foot of the Blue Square Bet North table.

“We have had a slow start but I think now we are starting to turn the corner,” said Midworth.

“We are working hard in training. The gaffer has changed a few things and we’re getting a more settled team.”

Bignot has already warned it will need a big team effort today to quell the threat of Grantham, who stunned Chasetown in the last round.

“This is an opportunity for us to push on in this competition but we certainly won’t take Grantham lightly,” said Midworth.

“The gaffer has been to see them twice and we will be prepared. It’s a banana skin – and we don’t want to trip up.”