Excitement builds at Almondsbury ahead of their big trip to Hampshire

FA CUP 1ST QUALIFYING RD

Mel Davies has revealed that Almondsbury UWE's first trip to the FA Cup first qualifying round has set pulses racing at the club.

The university outfit, of the Toolstation League First Division, travel to Hampshire outfit Blackfield & Langley, of the Wessex League Premier Division, this afternoon.

The visitors will be without three key personnel in Jon Mitchell, Russ Church and Adam Saunders.

"It's a blow, but as a club we've never been this far in the competition, so there's a lot of excitement around the place," said Almondsbury head coach Davies.

Almondsbury UWE (from): Coles, Bailey, C Church, Connor, Lane, Cohen, Rogers, McAvill, Baker, Brunton, Palmer, Pullen, Adams.

Taunton Town are set to be strengthened by the return of Ben Mammola and Dave Hambley for today's away match against Gillingham Town.

The pair, signed from Willand in the summer, missed Taunton's disappointing league defeat at Shortwood on Tuesday.

Taunton are looking to reach the second qualifying round for the first time in six years.

Taunton (from): Sidley-Adams, TJ Lang, Hambley, Irish, Mammola, Butler, Norrish, Ingram, Plant, Marsh, Smyth, Peek, Blake, Short, Herrod, Lewis.

Cinderford will look to make up for back-to-back losses in the league when they host Welsh side Merthyr.

The Foresters can take some confidence from the fact that they knocked Merthyr out of the FA Cup last season, beating them 2-0 in a replay follow a 1-1 draw in Wales.

Bishop's Cleeve head into today's FA Cup first qualifying round clash with Bracknell as favourites to progress.

Successive relegations have left Bracknell in Division One East of the Hellenic League and, with the game being played at home, Cleeve are favourites to progress.

Defender Jon Crowford returns to the side after serving a four-match ban, while Lee Davis, Will Gayton and Stuart Midwinter return after missing the last game.

Michael Meaker is to hold a meeting with his Yate Town players in a bid to curb the red-card problem that has wrecked the start of their campaign.

Goalkeeper Rob Brown was dismissed early in the second-half during the 2-0 defeat at Tiverton on Tuesday to become the fifth player to receive a red card in four league games this season.

Matt Groves was sent off for two yellow-card offences in last Saturday's 3-1 defeat at the hands of Poole, while Tom Knighton, Ollie Price and Adnan Hiroli have also seen red so far this season.

"It has to stop," said Yate assistant manager Meaker. "We're going to sit the boys down and address the situation because you're never going to win games if you're trying to do it with ten men every week.

"We were cruising in the first-half against Tiverton on Tuesday night and I had no doubts we'd go on and win the game.

"Then young Rob suffers a moment of madness and catches the ball five yards outside his penalty area.

"We were effectively down to nine-men after that because we had to stick an outfield player in goal and you just can't get away with doing that at this level."

Yate go to fellow Evo-Stik Division One side Winchester City this afternoon.

Yate (from): Dempsey, Brown, Warren, Barnes, Purnell, Thomas, Wring Groves, Vahid, Hiroli, Bryant, Cox, Mings, Sarr, Meaker, Page, S Cousins, R Cousins.

Clevedon Town will be firm favourites to make progress when they host Sherborne Town at the Hand Stadium.

Mickey Bell's side saw off Tiverton in the preliminary round.

Clevedon (from): Matthews, King, Robins, Murray, Kingdon, Walker, Russell, Adams, Flurry, Mahdi, McKenna, Fisher, Mills, Hussain, Ricketts, Moss, Jack, Best, Kapika.

Frome Town begin their FA Cup campaign with a short trip to play Larkhall, of the Toolstation League.

Recent signing Darren Jefferies, who was released in the summer by Bristol Rovers, should be involved.

Swindon Supermarine host AFC Totton in their first qualifying round tie.

Supermarine cruised to a 4-1 victory over Hallen in the last round, Josh Parsons scoring all four goals.