Football: BEMERTON Heath Harlequins boss Steve Slade is calling on football fans across the area to lend their support to the Jewson Wessex League club on Saturday when it stages one of its most important cup ties in recent years, writes Mike Turner.

The Western Way side entertain Gloucestershire-based Shortwood United in the first qualifying round of the FA Cup with a mouth-watering cheque of £7,500 up for grabs to the winners as well as a place in the draw for the next round.

Slade, whose side have started to produce some form since his return from holiday in Australia, told Journal Sport: "I used to think the FA Cup was the least important of all our fixtures in a season. Sure, it's the most prestigious and the most famous competition, but what we actually got out of it didn't amount to much.

"But since the FA have put up the sponsorship money in the early stages of the competition, it has become the most important."

The club banked £1,000 for its preliminary round victory away at Street last month and Slade knows that a further £7,500 would prove a major boost to his side's season.

"No doubt about it, Saturday's game is a big one. That kind of money is an absolute life-saver to clubs at our level."

Heath are the area's last remaining side in the competition after Salisbury City and Downton crashed out against Bideford and Paultons Rovers respectively. With the Whites having no fixture on Saturday, Slade says he would be delighted if local football fans turned out in force to help cheer his side on.

"No one here wanted to see Salisbury City go to the wall. They look like they're doing alright now under Nick Holmes and we wish them well," he said.

"But we could do with some vocal support ourselves on Saturday to help us get a result that would be good for the whole area."

Slade is unlikely to have Paul Palmer available for the tie after he suffered an ankle injury in Saturday's win against Wimborne.