Friday 21st August 2020

Royal Wootton Bassett Town Ladies have been handed a home tie in the SSE Women's FA Cup Extra Preliminary round - with another match at the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground to follow in the Preliminary round if they triumph.

A pair of home victories saw Bassett advance further than ever before in the 2019-20 edition of the competition when they reached the Second Qualifying round. And Jonny House and James Goddard's team will be hoping that having such an advantage pays off again this year.

Bassett will face Brentford Women in the opening round on Sunday 6 September.

Playing in the Greater London Women's Football League (two steps below Bassett), the Bees will likely come into the tie as underdogs. Indeed, their recent Women's FA Cup record is not a stellar one with defeats in the round at which they entered in each of the last four seasons. Yet Bassett will be hoping to avoid an upset as they again seek to enjoy success in the most prestigious women's cup competition in English football.

Should Bassett triumph they will entertain Ashford Town (Middlesex) in the Preliminary round on Sunday 20 September.

Formed in 2015, Ashford play at the same level as Bassett in the London and South East Regional Women's Football League Premier Division (step five). Like Bassett, they were in their first year at that level in 2019-20 - having gone up as champions the season before. They were enjoying a successful campaign when the season was interrupted too, sitting fourth with six wins from eleven games.

Over the course of the last three seasons they have enjoyed success in the Women's Cup as well. In 2017-18 they won though three rounds to reach the First round proper where they lost to MK Dons. Two seasons ago they were eliminated in the Third Qualifying round while two victories last season carried them to the First Qualifying round.

SSE Women's FA Cup Extra Preliminary round: Royal Wootton Bassett Town v Brentford (Sunday 6 September)
SSE Women's FA Cup Preliminary round: Royal Wootton Bassett Town or Brentford v Ashford Town (Middlesex) (Sunday 20 September

Last modified on Friday 21st August 2020 at 20:23.