PATRICK Brothers doesn’t consider himself to be Leiston’s lucky charm.

Brothers will line-up at left back for the biggest match of his career - the FA Vase quarter-final tie away to Coalville Town on Saturday - still yet to taste defeat since joining the Suffolk side this season.

Leiston, who lost their opening Premier Division match of the Ridgeons League season, have only been beaten once since - in an FA Cup fourth qualifying round replay at Dartford just days before Brothers signed from Brantham Athletic at the end of October.

“If we get to the end of the season and haven’t lost it will be a nice feeling,” he admitted, “but I don’t consider myself to be a lucky charm.”

The 21-year-old has played in every match since signing for Leiston, including five FA Vase ties, with the exception of a 4-0 league win at Wroxham when he was laid low by a sickness bug.

Primarily a central or left-sided midfielder, Brothers has slotted seamlessly into the side at left back following the career-threatening injury suffered by Shane Wardley earlier in the season.

“I am naturally left-footed and apart from Danny Cunningham I am the only left-footed player in the team.

“Although I prefer to play in midfield, (manager) Mark Morsley seems to like me playing there and as long as I am playing I am happy,” he said.

Brothers, whose older brother Michael also plays for Leiston, now stands just three matches from an appearance in a Wembley final - and is eagerly awaiting Saturday’s last-eight tie in Leicestershire against their Midland Football Alliance opponents.

“It is going to be a tough game, but we thrive on tough games against better opposition.

“It is a nice feeling to be in the quarter-finals of a big competition. It will be the biggest game of my career so far, but I am only young so hopefully it will be one of many big games I play in.

“I don’t know much about Coalville, but hopefully we can come out on top and go on to reach the final.”

Even if they fall behind Brothers is confident that Leiston have enough character in the side to advance to the two-legged semi-finals.

“We had to fight back from 1-0 down to beat Long Buckby in the last round. To be fair they were one of the better sides that we have faced this season, and as soon as we went behind we knew what we had to do.

“We never give up and have come back after going behind in several matches this season.”