Friday 8th July 2016

A trip across the Hampshire border awaits Royal Wootton Bassett Town after they were handed an away tie against Wessex League Premier Division side Andover Town in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round.

Though set to visit handy opposition who finished fourth – and only three points behind runners-up Sholing – in the league last season, Paul Braithwaite will be hoping his team can recapture the magic they displayed the last time they travelled to face Wessex League opponents in the FA Cup.

In only his third competitive game in charge, Bassett convincingly defeated Brockenhurst 3-0 as they took an early lead and never took their foot off the pedal.

Andover, formed only in 2013, will be entering the oldest competition in world football for only the second time. Their debut appearance yielded an Extra Preliminary Round victory against Gillingham before their hopes last season were ended by Hamworthy United. In fact, they lost twice to the Hammers after a replay was ordered following their initial 4-1 defeat.

They have also recorded victories in both their appearances in the FA Vase, with a First Round appearance in the competition for sides at step five and below being earned last season.

The tie will take place at the Portway Stadium on Saturday 6th August.

Should Bassett progress they would face another away trip. They would be guaranteed to face Combined Counties League Premier Division opposition in the form of either Spelthorne Sports or Hartley Wintney on Saturday 20th August.

Eleventh in the league last season, Spelthorne are making just their second appearance in the FA Cup. Their cup bow also saw them progress to the Preliminary Round.

However, to make it that far this season, they will have to overcome rivals who romped to the Premier Division title in 2015-16.

To go along with that league success, the north Hampshire outfit also enjoyed a lengthy run in the FA Cup and FA Vase. Their Cup journey saw them defeat three Southern League opponents – Banbury United, Fleet Town and Merthyr Town before they finally came undone in the Third Qualifying Round, losing by the odd goal in five against National League South Eastbourne Borough.

Meanwhile in the Vase, they reached the Fifth Round, where they were knocked out by eventual runners-up Hereford.

Those performances were not just a one off as their pedigree in national competitions is strong. They also reached the FA Cup Third Qualifying Round in 2011-12 before being eliminated by Basingstoke Town, while they went one step further in 2013-14, losing to Daventry Town when just a win away from a potential matchup with a Football League side.

If there was to be a meeting between Bassett and 'The Row', as Hartley Wintney are known, a number of Bassett's players will have had experience playing against them, either for Shrivenham in their 3-0 Vase defeat back in 2012-13 or for Highworth Town, who prevailed 2-1 in a 2014-15 Vase Second Qualifying Round tie.

FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round – Andover Town v Royal Wootton Bassett Town (Saturday 6th August)

FA Cup Preliminary Round – Spelthorne Sports or Hartley Wintney v Andover Town or Royal Wootton Bassett Town (Saturday 20th August)

League rivals or Wessex League opponents await Royal Wootton Bassett Town in the FA Vase as they seek to make it through to the First Round Proper for the fourth time – and first since 2010-11.

Bassett will host the winners of the tie between Thame United and Tadley Calleva in the Second Qualifying Round on Saturday 24th September, having received a bye at the opening qualifying stage.

Braithwaite's side split their league meetings against Thame last season, with a 3-1 away defeated being avenged by a 2-0 victory at the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground. The teams have encountered one another eight times overall in the league, with one Bassett win, four draws and three triumphs for the Oxfordshire side, who finished sixth in 2015-16.

Thame will be favourites to defeat step six Tadley as they seek to recapture their rich Vase history. They have made it to at least the Second Round in three of the last four seasons, falling at the Third Round stage to Kidlington last year. Thame also have a semi-final appearance to their name, that being achieved in 1998-99.

Since the turn of the Millennium they have twice reached the FA Cup Fourth Qualifying round and have made it to the Second Qualifying Round twice in the last six years, all of which have been spent as Hellenic Premier Division members.

Tadley, third in Wessex League Division one in both of the past two seasons, have more limited exposure in national competitions.

Yet they had a fine run in the Vase in 2015-16, reaching the Third Round where they lost in a replay against Newport Isle of Wight.

The Hampshire side's previous four Vase ventures saw them fail to make it out of the qualifying rounds, while they have yet to win a game in the FA Cup; the one year Tadley progressed in the latter competition was a result of a tie against Ascot United being awarded to them.

FA Vase Second Qualifying Round – Royal Wootton Bassett Town v Thame United or Tadley Calleva (Saturday 24th September)

Last modified on Friday 8th July 2016 at 23:41.