14 November – Dorchester Town FC
Dorchester Town manager Tom Killick says his side have shown clear improvement in recent weeks and insists the Magpies are “keen” to continue their momentum in the FA Trophy.
The Magpies make the long journey east on Saturday to face Dover Athletic in the second round. Dorchester arrive in good form, unbeaten in their last four outings. Their recent run includes a goalless draw with Chertsey, a 2–2 draw away at Bracknell Town, and successive league and cup victories over Basingstoke Town.
Killick believes the team will be able to play with freedom, noting that expectations sit firmly with their higher-league opponents:
“Things have been picking up. We had the two games against Basingstoke and two wins, albeit one on penalties, and a draw against Bracknell, which is a good result—they’ve really improved, as shown by their win over Sholing. We wanted to beat Chertsey, but at least we weren’t beaten.
“We’re going to play with more freedom against Dover. I don’t feel we’ll be under pressure because we’re not expected to win, but we want the win—financially, for the fans, and for the possibility of some plum ties. There’s no pressure on us, but we’re keen to win.”
Killick acknowledged that the travel demands for the tie are less than ideal:
“The travelling is not ideal; it’s probably on the cusp of the most you can do without staying the night. The league is a lot better for that than it used to be—I remember going up to Stafford in my playing days.”
Regarding team news, Killick offered a largely positive update:
“We’re looking pretty good other than Wes. We’re hoping Luke Roberts can come back into the squad after nearly four weeks out, and Euan Turner should also be fit.”