Friday 25th September 2020

Royal Wootton Bassett Town have been handed a home tie against National League South side Oxford City in the Emirates FA Cup Second Qualifying Round. The game is scheduled to take place at the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground on Saturday 3 October.

The tie is Bassett's reward for their impressive upset victory away against Cinderford Town in the First Qualifying Round – which followed earlier wins against Chipping Sodbury Town and Didcot Town – and pits Sam Collier's side against the highest level of opposition possible at this stage of the competition.

It will be the second time in Bassett's history that they will face a competitive fixture against National League South opposition as, back in the 2012-13 season, they were paired with Dorchester Town at the Second Qualifying Round stage.

Given City's stature, it will therefore be a hugely difficult test for Collier and his team. But the opportunity to pit yourself against higher level opponents is what the FA Cup is all about. And Bassett will no doubt give all they have as they seek what would be an improbable third upset win in a row, with at least some advantage stemming from the tie being at home.

Oxford are a well-established side at step two of the non-league pyramid, and are entering their ninth consecutive season of playing in either the National League North or South. Last season, which was brought to a premature end and decided upon a points per game basis, City finished 13th. Their best season came in 2014-15 when they finished sixth in the Conference North, just a single point outside of the playoff places.

They have had a great deal of success in the FA Cup in recent years too, advancing to at least the First Round in each of the past three campaigns.

In 2017-18 they matched their best ever run – initially set in 1969-70 – after upsetting Football League side Colchester United in the First Round before a narrow defeat away against Notts County in the Second Round.

2018-19 then saw them eliminated in a First Round replay by Tranmere Rovers before a loss against Solihull Moors at the same stage last season.

Overall, they have reached the First Round proper on fourteen occasions – including a run of five consecutive qualifications between the 1966-67 and 1970-71 campaigns.

They also hold the distinct record of having been involved in the tie featuring the most replays. That occurred in the 1971-72 Fourth Qualifying Round when it took six games to determine a winner against Alvechurch, with the Worcestershire side eventually prevailing.

(Bassett boast a unique, though not quite as impressive cup feat too, their run from the Preliminary to the Third Qualifying Round of the 1959-60 FA Amateur Cup having featured a replay at each round, and five in total.)

In other national cup competitions they have had success too, winning the FA Amateur Cup in 1905-06 (and finishing as runners-up in 1902-03, 1912-13), triumphing more recently in the 1994-95 FA Vase and reaching the last 16 of the FA Trophy in 2015-16.

The Second Qualifying Round tie will be the first ever meeting between Bassett and Oxford City.

However, in recent years Bassett have had multiple battles with Oxford City's now defunct Nomads side, who competed in the Hellenic League until 2017-18. Sixteen league meetings with Nomads, saw both teams record seven wins and two games end in draws. Playing with home advantage, Bassett triumphed on four occasions, drawing once and losing three times.

Last modified on Friday 25th September 2020 at 13:50.