Friday 5th July 2024
Draws for the early rounds of the Emirates FA Cup and Isuzu FA Vase have now been released.
Royal Wootton Bassett Town were already aware that they would be exempt to the first round of the Vase courtesy of their third consecutive run to the competition third round.
And Sam Collier and his team now also know who stands in their way in the FA Cup as Bassett seek a return to success in the biggest of all national cup competitions.
Bassett exited the 2023-24 Emirates FA Cup at the extra preliminary round stage - the first time in four years they had fallen at the first hurdle.
This season Bassett will therefore be looking to quickly banish memories of that loss and recapture the form that saw them venture to the second qualifying round in 2020-21 and the first qualifying round in 2022-23.
First though Bassett will have to overcome fellow Hellenic League Premier Division rivals Mangotsfield United - the side who knocked Sam Collier's out last season - in the extra preliminary round.
Mangotsfield triumphed 2-0 when the teams met in the FA Cup last season. However, this time Bassett have home advantage, with the tie due to take place at the Sustain Stadium on Friday 2 August (7.45pm kick off).
That result does still represent the Mangos' only ever victory against Bassett in normal time. The four league fixtures between the teams have seen Bassett triumph three times, with the other ending in a goalless draw, while Mangotsfield prevailed on penalties after a 0-0 draw in the Hellenic League Floodlit Cup in 2022-23.
Although losing 5-1 to Ascot United the round after beating Bassett in the FA Cup last season, Mangotsfield do have a strong history in competition, having reached the fourth (and final) qualifying round on four occasions, most recently in 2009-10. They have not got beyond the first qualifying round since 2010-11 though.
The winners of the tie will then welcome Southern League Division One South side Didcot Town in the preliminary round on Saturday 17 August - a plum fixture that offers the chance of upsetting step four opponents.
Indeed, Collier and his team have recent experience of pulling a shock win against Didcot, with Bassett having triumphed 2-1 courtesy of a Sam Ockwell brace when they visited the Railwaymen in the 2020-21 preliminary round.
That result, part of Bassett's record-equalling cup run, was the culmination of a superb team performance. And, should they first get past Mangotsfield, Bassett would have to be at their best to give themselves any kind of chance of advancing further this year.
A year after losing to Bassett, Didcot again exited the FA Cup at the preliminary round stage against step five opposition. But they have enjoyed greater success in the past two seasons. In 2022-23 they advanced to the first qualifying round. Last season - while plying their trade at step three - they reached the third qualifying round, losing narrowly away at non league giants Yeovil Town.
Bassett's former Hellenic League rivals at the turn of the millennium, Didcot are now a firmly established Southern League side. The Railwaymen also have significant pedigree in national competitions, having won the 2004-05 FA Vase and reached the FA Cup first round proper in 2015-16.
Emirates FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round: Royal Wootton Bassett Town v Mangotsfield United (Friday 2 August)
Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round: Royal Wootton Bassett Town or Mangotsfield United v Didcot Town (Saturday 17 August)
Bassett have enjoyed unprecedented success in the FA Vase in recent seasons, reaching at least the second round four years in a row and going as far as the third round (last 64) in three successive campaigns.
As brilliant as those runs have been though, there is perhaps some frustration that Bassett have not been able to advance even further and finally reach the non-regionalised stage of the competition.
Bassett have been so close to doing that in their trio of third round defeats. Collier's team took the lead only to succumb to Hamworthy United (1-3), before losing on penalties against Corsham Town after a goalless draw and then being beaten on penalties by Bridgwater United following a dramatic 2-2 draw last season.
To advance that far - and hopefully beyond - this year will be no mean feat. However, Bassett again have the fortune of not having to navigate the qualifying rounds courtesy of last season's run earning another exemption to the first round.
Bassett will therefore enter the Vase fray on Saturday 19 October, the aim once more being an extended run in the competition.
Historical details of Royal Wootton Bassett Town's participation in various national cup competitions are available in the history section of our website.
For each competition, details of all results are listed, as well as - where information is available - line-ups and match reports.
See the following pages for details:
Last modified on Wednesday 17th July 2024 at 17:56.