Women’s FA Cup draws announced
Early round draws for the 2023-24 Women's FA Cup have now been made - and if they are to achieve success on the national stage, then Royal Wootton Bassett Town will need to win on the road.
The Women's FA Cup has typically been a competition in which Bassett have enjoyed limited success. Eleven previous participations have seen Bassett advance just three times, with only four wins overall.
Last season was one of those rare occasions that Bassett enjoyed success though. Not only did Bassett record their first Women's FA Cup victory since the 2019-20 season, but the team also advanced to the third - and final - qualifying round of the competition for the first time in club history courtesy of their 6-0 thrashing of Middlezoy Rovers in the second qualifying round.
But to reach that stage again this year, Adam Wood and his side will have to navigate two qualifying rounds, rather than just one. This follows the team's relegation to tier six of the women's football pyramid. They'll also need to win twice away from home.
In the first qualifying round, Bassett will visit Longwell Green, with the game scheduled for Sunday 10 September.
The tie will be the first meeting between the teams since the 2013-14 season when Longwell Green recorded a league double over Bassett, winning both games 2-1. Bassett will go in their FA Cup contest as favourites though against their tier seven opposition, but will need to be on their game to avoid an upset.
Two seasons ago Longwell Green finished as Gloucestershire County Women's League Division One runners-up while also winning the Gordon Perrett Memorial Cup. The Bristol-based side have featured in the Women's FA Cup in each of the past three seasons, losing all three ties they have played, including a 10-0 loss against Bassett's league rivals Pen Mill last season. They did feature in the third qualifying round in 2021-22, losing to Swindon Town after having received a walkover in the previous round.
Success in that fixture will then mean Bassett face a second qualifying round contest away against Stockwood Wanderers in an all-South West Regional Women's Football League Division One Eastern tie. Second qualifying round fixtures are due to take place on Sunday 1 October.
Stockwood finished bottom of Division One Eastern last year, their first season at tier six. However, they did achieve success in their first ever participation in the Women's FA Cup, beating SGS Olveston United 4-2 in the second qualifying round before suffering an 11-2 loss away at Liskeard Athletic.
Although away from home, please do get along to support Bassett as they seek to match – and potentially go one better – than last season's trip to the third qualifying round!
Women's FA Cup First Qualifying Round: Longwell Green v Royal Wootton Bassett Town (Sunday 10 September)
Women's FA Cup Second Qualifying Round: Stockwood Wanderers v Longwell Green or Royal Wootton Bassett Town (Sunday 1 October)
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For details of Royal Wootton Bassett Town's full historical record in the Women's FA Cup see here.