Wimborne have entered the FA Trophy sixteen times, starting in the 2010-11 season when they joined the Southern League. This will be only the third time that they have won through to the First Round Proper. This is AFC Portchester’s first season at Step 4, the first time they’ve entered the FA Trophy, and, of course, the first time they’ve reached the First Round Proper.

Manager Gav Spurway’s Royals had a terrifically successful campaign last season, winning four trophies. They were Wessex Premier Division champions with a remarkable W33 D4 L1 record, scoring 125 goals while conceding a miserly 25. To go with that, they won the Portsmouth Senior Cup, the Russell Cotes Cup, and the Wessex League Cup – I wonder if they had to buy a larger trophy cabinet? For this campaign, they were promoted to the Isthmian South Central Division, and currently sit 14^th of 22 with a W5 D0 L6 GF 24 GA 21 record. That goals-for count is joint third highest in the division. On their league travels they have a W1 D0 L4 record. Last Saturday they defeated Ascot Utd 2-0 (Lee Wort bagging a brace) at their Wicor Recreation Ground home, and followed that up on Tuesday with another home three points from a come-back 2-1 win over Hendon with goals by Zak Willett and Alfie Stanley.

But it’s their accomplishments in the FA competitions this season which catches the eye. In the FA Cup the Royals defeated Melksham 3-1 in a replay, then won 2-1 at Moneyfields, before earning a 1-1 draw at Gloucester City only to bow out 2-0 in the replay. And they’ve already successfully come through three rounds of the FA Trophy, all at home, to reach this stage: knocking out Flackwell Heath 1-0, Tavistock 3-0, and Southern Premier Taunton 2-1.

Portchester scored twelve goals in their opening four games of this season, and continue to find the net regularly: Lee Wort has 10 to his name, Alfie Stanley eight, Connor Duffin six, and they also have Brett Pitman and Ryan Pennery in the squad.

After Saturday’s 2-0 win at Dorchester in the Dorset Magpie Derby, when Will Fletcher and Max Bustamante scored, and the busy midweek fixtures, Tim Sills’ Wimborne are sitting 4^th in the Southern League Premier South with a W6 D3 L3 GF 22 GA 12 record. They’re unbeaten in the league at The Wyatt Homes Stadium, and knocked National South Bath City out of the FA Cup there before bowing out 3-0 to another Step 2 team Worthing. They reached this stage of the Trophy by beating Weymouth at home for a second time in this campaign.

The Royals’ strike force has some impressive numbers this season, but so does The Magpies’ – eight players have scored two or more in league and cup with Fletcher and Lewis Williams leading the stats with seven, Joe Smith has five, and Bustamante three. At the other end of the pitch, Cam Plain has kept four clean sheets, and conceded just twice in the last four matches. Cam Munn will be available again, but Joe Ryan and Seung Woo-Yang will be missing, while Ajani Burchall is an injury doubt.

Club Historian Ken Fergus informs us that The Magpies and The Royals have only met once before. It was an FA Cup Preliminary Round tie in Sept 2020 at Cuthbury when James Stokoe was manager. Wimborne won 3-0 through goals by Scott Arnold, Curtis Young, and Aidan Shepherd.

On Saturday, if scores are level after 90 (plus) minutes, there will be a penalty shoot-out. The 32 winning teams from this round will be joined by the 48 Step 2 teams from the National League North and South for the Second Round on 15^thNovember.

Without the pressure to win league points, both managers may view this as a “free hit” and give squad members an opportunity to shine. Given the fire power both teams have, this has all the makings of being a cup-tie cracker. You won’t want to miss it, so come on down, and cheer on Tim’s team. After all, it’s what autumnal Saturday afternoons were made for.

Match Info:

• As there’s limited parking at the ground in Ainsley Road BH21 2FU, if you can travel by bus, bike, or on foot it would be really helpful. However, if you do decide to travel by car and park on the nearby streets, please do so respectfully to our neighbours.
• The Morebus no.13 runs along Leigh Road from and to The Square in the town centre with stops at the bottom of Parmiter Road, a five-minute stroll from the ground.
• There is a bike park near the players’ entrance.
• A packed printed programme will be on sale.
• Admission: adults £14, concessions £8, U18s £5, U13s £2. Please note that season tickets are not valid for FA competitions.
• Weather Forecast: Sunny intervals; 11oC; 20% chance of rain.