-- too long in fact for captain Mike Dill.

It has been so long that the pundits are starting to wonder if the FA Cup might suddenly have become the Zebras' jinx competition, influenced no doubt by the fact that since their last triumph over Second Division side Warwick United in 1980 PHC have lost in five finals.

Sunday at National Stadium (3.00) will be their third appearance in four seasons, their fourth in six and their fifth in eight. Either way you look at it it has been too long a losing sequence if you are a PHC player or supporter, something Dill is anxious to put right after playing in all those five losing finals.

"Technically it should be easier to win the FA (Cup) but we haven't been able to do it,'' said Dill who joined the Zebras the year they returned to the First Division in the 1981-82 season. "The FA (Cup) is about six games and involves the luck of the draw while in the league you have to play each team twice.

"Over the years PHC haven't done too good in the league but lately we have done better in the league than the FA (Cup).'' PHC's last success in the FA Cup was 12 years ago when they took the prestigious trophy into the Second Division with them, beating Warwick 4-1 in the final. Another Dill, Kevin, played in that PHC side and he will be the only one from the present team to know the feeling of winning the trophy.

Town's goalkeeper Randy Darrell also played in that '80 final, for Warwick, and he will no doubt be happy to help Town extend PHC's losing streak to six.

Town beat the Zebras in the 1987 final, though PHC's form from this league championship-winning season makes them the favourites.

"I've always wondered how we've been favourites five times and lost,'' said Dill. "When you look at our record not too many people will make us favourites.'' The Zebras, who lost to underdogs Southampton in the Friendship Trophy final recently, know they cannot take Town lightly, having been thrashed 4-0 by them in the Martonmere Cup earlier this season.

"The last couple of times they've beaten us they've beaten us pretty badly,'' Dill admits. "I don't think anyone's done that since Somerset beat us 5-0 in the first game of the season about three years ago -- and we still won the league.'' Dill, who has missed just one (league) match for PHC since 1985-86, when he was in workmate Anthony (Pacer) Edwards' wedding in 1989, knows all about the atmosphere of a cup final, having appeared in four Martonmere Cup, six Dudley Eve Trophy, five Friendship Trophy and the five FA Cup finals in the last decade. He has also won the league with the Zebras five times.

Still, he gets a charge, and some butterflies too, from preparing for the FA Cup final. "I still get nerves, it's all a part of wanting to perform at your best,'' he said. "I'll be out there trying to perform at my best. I've done enough losing (in the FA Cup), let me see what it's like to win at least once.'' From experience Dill knows what it's going to take to end the FA Cup drought.

"We don't work hard enough,'' he added. "If we work hard and make Dandy Town play second fiddle to us we'll win. When we play bad it's usually in our engine room (midfield). But if Frankie (Ming) and Kevin (Dill) are on we'll win.

"It's not so much about Kyle and Sammy. If Frankie and Kevin are on it will create more chances for us. Most likely Neil Paynter will be back so that's a lot of depth in their defence.'' Dill has been ever present in the Zebras' defence as the likes of Dennis Wainwright, Shawn Simmons, Nelson and Blake Simons and Derek Douglas have missed matches and he will be looked up to keep things tight. "It's been a strain on me, constantly going,'' he said. "It hasn't been easy.'' Maybe Dill will get his just reward tomorrow evening.

MIKE DILL -- Sixth try at abn FA Cup winners' medal.