Vics and the Yachtsmen play in the extra-preliminary round of the FA Cup this afternoon (Saturday).
Cowes Sports are the only Isle of Wight Wessex League side with a home fixture. The Yachtsmen face fellow Wessex Premier side Laverstock & Ford at the Zilch Waste Stadium at 15:00.
The 2 sides appear evenly matched, finishing last season on the same number of points in 12th and 13th positions, with Cowes marginally ahead on goal difference. The Yachtsmen did the double over the Bulldogs in the league, winning 4-0 at home and 2-5 away but lost 1-3 in an FA Cup replay after drawing 1-1 in Wiltshire.
Laverstock’s best FA Cup run came in 2022/23 when they reached the Second Qualifying Round before losing 2-3 to Taunton Town. Cowes’ best FA Cup performances came in 1957/58 and 1963/64 when they reached the Fourth Qualifying Round.
Cowes co-manager Ian Potts says of the game:
“We’ll do our homework on Lavy. It’s a massive cup. That’s why we want to get to the next round, and obviously it’s good money for the club as well, so we’ll do what we can.
“Hopefully, we’ll carry on from Tuesday (3-2 against Baffins Milton Rovers) and get a win and keep going.
Article continues below this advertisement “Games are coming thick and fast, so we’re lucky we’ve got a big squad. We’ll keep rotating and do what we’ve got to do.”
East Cowes Vics travel to the New Forest to face Southern League Bashley.
This is the first time Vics have played in the FA Cup for 12 years. The furthest the Victorians have been in the competition was in 1945/46 and 1948/49 when they reached the 2nd qualifying round before going out to Cowes and Poole respectively.
Bashley’s best FA Cup run came in 1994/95 when they were beaten 0-1 by Swansea City in the 2nd round.
Manager Alex Smith says of the game:
“It’s going to be a big jump in quality from a technical and physical perspective. It will be exciting to go there as underdogs. I think we’ve got a grasp as to what to expect and are gearing up appropriately for that.
“We’re always excited by these kind of opportunities. We’re not going to shy away from it. We want to keep progressing as far as we can, and we can only do that by playing a better class of opposition.
“We’re ready to go toe-to-toe with them and see where we can take it.”
Newport play their first Wessex Division 1 game of the season away to Romsey Town.
Port did the double over Romsey last season, winning 5-2 at Beatrice Avenue and 1-3 away from home.
Manager Joe Butcher says of the game and his side’s prospects for the season:
“We had a tough pre season and strengthened the squad, so I’m looking forward to it.
“Targetwise, I’d like to improve on last year. I think we fell 7 or 8 pts or so short of the playoffs in the end, so I’d like us to keep improving and aim to be within that top 5.
“Romsey can be a tricky side to play, particularly away. It’s hard to predict when there’s so much change between the mainland sides over the summer, but we’ll be going there to try and get a result.”
