By James Gray
Dorchester Town travel to Hampshire on Saturday (3pm KO) to face Basingstoke Town for the second time in just a matter of days as both teams battle it out in the First Round Proper of the FA Trophy.
The Magpies claimed a crucial 1-0 home victory over Basingstoke earlier this week, courtesy of a late Joe Parker strike, and hopes will be high of a similar outcome when the two sides meet again.
Basingstoke, meanwhile, will be looking to avenge that loss and progress to the competition's next round, with the winners taking home £3,000 in prize money.
Here's everything you need to know ahead of Dorchester's trip to Basingstoke.
Basingstoke In Brief
Founded: 1896
Nickname: The Stoke
Stadium: Winklebury Sports Complex
Capacity: 1,990
Playing Surface: Artificial
Ones To Watch
Defender Jack Ball impressed for Basingstoke in Tuesday's defeat to the Magpies, nearly opening the scoring himself in the first half only to see his header tipped onto the crossbar by Dorchester goalkeeper Joe Besant.
Dorchester fans should also keep an eye out on the Basingstoke team news to spot if attacker Bradley Wilson is upgraded to the starting eleven, having been named as a substitute at the Avenue Stadium. Wilson is currently top scorer for the Stoke, with six goals at the start of this season.
The Gaffer
Dan Brownlie has managed Basingstoke since 2019, overseeing a successful tenure at Winklebury. This includes securing promotion to Step Three, after winning the Isthmian League South Central Division title in the 2022/23 season.
Previous Meeting
Last Tuesday, Dorchester edged Basingstoke 1-0 in a tight Southern League Premier South clash at the Avenue Stadium. Dorchester boss Tom Killick made four changes to his side after back-to-back defeats to Poole Town and Wimborne Town, with new loan signing Connor Underhill handed a place on the bench.
Both sides went close to finding an opener in the first half, with Jadyn Crosbie seeing an effort for Dorchester cleared off the line and the Stoke themselves hitting the crossbar. However, when the referee blew for half time, the score remained at 0-0 and the match finely poised.
After the break both sides continued to push for a winner, but it wasn't until the 87th minute that the game's opening goal arrived. Wes Fogden chased down Charlie Wooding's header, before nudging the ball through to the onrushing Wayne Robinson.
The attacker burst forward only to be tackled by a recovering Basingstoke defender, with the ball kindly ricocheting back to the feet of Fogden, who drove into the box and cut back for Parker to finish from six yards out.
Form Guide
Magpies - WWLLW
Dorchester have won three of their past five games, including last Tuesday's 1-0 victory over Basingstoke. The Magpies knocked out lower league outfit Bideford AFC 4-0 in the previous round of the FA Trophy.
Stoke - WLWWL
Basingstoke boast the same record as the Magpies in their previous five outings, with consecutive wins over Chertsey Town and Gosport Borough prior to their loss at the Avenue Stadium. The Stoke themselves overcame fellow Dorset-based side Shaftesbury 2-1 to make it to the First Round Proper of the FA Trophy.
Magpies Mind-Boggler
1.) Tom Smith's hattrick in the previous round of the FA Trophy was the first for the Magpies in this competition since we faced Eastbourne Borough away during the 2018/19 season. Can you name who scored three times for the Magpies on that day? Bonus point if you can also correctly guess the score!
See answer at the bottom of page
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Team News
Jack Dickson and Luke Roberts will again be assessed before the match, with the Magpies facing no fresh injury concerns following the midweek win over Basingstoke.
Admission Prices
Supporters making the trip to Basingstoke can buy their match tickets in advance via the Fanbase app here. Prices are as follows:
Adults: £13.50
Concessions: £9.50
Under 18s: £6
Under 12s: £2
Travel Information
By Car: Supporters travelling to Basingstoke should please note that on-site parking is strictly for players, match officials, and disabled spectators only. Alternative parking can instead be found at RG22 6PG - behind Loddon Vale Bowling Club on Leisure Park Road - which is a five to ten minute walk away.
By Train: The nearest train station to the Winklebury Sports Complex is Basingstoke. From here supporters can reach the ground by catching the No. 6 bus and getting off at Hampton Court. Supporters can see the ground signposted as Hampshire FA - just across the road on the right-hand side.
Full information on how to find the Winklebury Sports Complex can be found on Basingstoke's official website here.
Magpies Mind-Boggler Answer:
1.) Tom Blair. 4-0 Dorchester win.