Rockies need to avoid a banana-skin in the FA Cup

SHAFTESBURY will be hoping to avoid a banana skin in the FA Cup as they face a trip to Baffins Milton Rovers in the extra preliminary round.

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While the Rockies will be hoping to look up the Southern League Division One South table this campaign, they will need to keep tabs on their former Wessex League adversaries before they do battle on August 2.

Baffins narrowly missed out on the playoffs last season and will have promotion aspirations once again, and will relish a chance to see off a visiting higher league side.

Both sides did finish in the playoff places in 2023/24, when Shaftesbury edged a five-goal thriller at Baffins in the April, after beating them 3-1 in the reverse fixture.

If Shaftesbury do make it through, they will have a home tie in the preliminary round on August 16, potentially welcoming the winners of Southern League Division One South side Thatcham Town and laterally moved Wessex League side Petersfield Town who missed out in the playoffs of the Southern Combination League last season.

Fellow Wessex League side Wincanton Town will travel to Combined Counties League Premier Division side Alton. The sides could prove to be well-matched after Alton finished tenth last season and Wincanton 15th in their first season since their promotion.

The carrot if the Wasps do progress will be a home tie against Southern League side Swindon Supermarine.

Sherborne Town have arguably the toughest task when they go to Westbury United. The White Horse Men finished 13th in the Southern League Division One South last season, with the Zebras ninth in the Wessex League and hoping to cause an upset.

If the Zebras do manage to pull it off, they will then travel to the winners of newly-promoted Western League Premier Division side Bradford Town and fellow Wessex League team Bournemouth Poppies.