WG PARR TROPHY PREVIEW: Southwick look to cause upset (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

WG PARR TROPHY PREVIEW: Southwick look to cause upset

12:00pm Friday 14th September 2012 in News

WITH Chippenham West End, Biddestone White Horse, Cavalier and FC Colerne safely through to the first round of this season’s Westernsport Trophies-sponsored WG Parr Trophy, 12 more preliminary round matches will determine who will join in the draw for next stage of a competition which is the most open for many years. 

With last term’s winners AFC Calne unable to defend their trophy top-flight sides Colerne and FC Brunel will be favourites to do the business this season, but Brunel face a tricky game at second division Southwick Wanderers if they are to progress. 

Brunel have suffered defeat in their opening two games against Biddestone Social and Westbury Rangers so a trip to a team some 18 places below them in the league standings should see them register a win, especially as Southwick have also lost two on the trot.

Third division Bremhill View Boys host an in-form Old Road FC and the fourth division outfit have a very good chance of causing an upset despite going into the game as slight underdogs.

If Old Road could take their league form into the game then they will send their hosts crashing out at the very first hurdle.

Division One outfit North Star A tasted cup success in 2006 when they beat Wheatsheaf 3-0, but they face a potential banana skin when they visit third division Corsham Park Rangers, who themselves were beaten finalists in 2000. 

Star will be favourites to progress but with Corsham Park having won their two games to date Tim Spear’s should give Liam Westland’s side a good game.

First Division FC Boroughs have a good chance of going all the way this season or at least getting to the final four. 

First up for the Malmesbury-based side are fourth division Crossblades and it is really hard to see anything other than a win for Boroughs in this tie.

One of the games that catches the eye is the one at Nursteed Road, Devizes where third division FC Buscots take on near neighbours Castle FC .

With local pride and bragging rights at stake the match won’t be for the faint-hearted, but if both teams concentrate on playing football it has all the making of being a classic which may need extra time to find a winner.

That should, on current form, be FC Buscots, but form will count for nothing as Castle will raise their game as they look for their first win of the season.    

Second Division Kings Arms (All Cannings) may not be setting the league alight but they will fancy their chances of claiming their first win of the campaign when they travel to fourth division opponents FC North Wiltshire, who will be looking to bounce back after last weeks surprise loss to Pig & Whistle B. 

A defeat for Kings Arms would be an upset, and North Wilts could provide it if they can find their scoring boots. 

The all-second division affair between Goatacre CC and Sutton Benger could provide one of the games of the round.

There should be plenty of goals in the match as both teams have a good strike force so the result could come down to which defence comes out on top.

At this early stage of the season, it may be Goatacre who make it to the next round, but if Benger can defend well, unlike when they threw away a four-goal lead in their previous game, it will be them who prevail with a narrow win in a high-scoring game.

In the second all-Division Two affair, GRFC welcome Wren FC to their Sutton Benger base. 

A look at the standings would suggest a victory for Tam Laidlaw’s GRFC side as their guests are floundering at the foot of the table.

But Wren shouldn’t be written off as they are due a change in fortune and this game could provide it for Carl Murray’s side, who could sneak a win.

Prestige Bodyworks could see this as their season for cup glory, but the first division side must overcome second division Miller Sports if they are to keep their cup dreams alive.

Miller will be on a high after their 2-0 win over Southwick Wanderers while Prestige will be seeking an immediate response to their defeat at Steeple Ashton.

Although Miller have home advantage they are unlikely to make it count as Prestige are tipped to progress.

A week after they overturned a 4-0 deficit to beat Sutton Benger 6-4, Clive Black’s takes his White Horse side back to Stanley Park, where Pack Horse Rangers are their opponents this week.

If things go to form as they should the visitors to Chippenham should see make another happy journey home having booked their place in the draw for the next round.

If that is the case White Horse could be the side to keep an eye out for this season as they bid to make it their first ever final.

First division Bradford Renegades have a very good chance of reaching the latter stages of the competition.

Lance Davis' side have been handed a trip to third division Talbot FC for their opening cup game and as things currently stand the hosts need to pull something special out of the hat if they are to have any chance of denying Renegades what should be a comfortable win. 

Trowbridge Town Supporters Club host Christian Malford in the final tie of the round, and if Kevin Williams’ fourth division charges are to deny Malford their place in the first round they will have to play the game of their lives.

In recent times the supporters’ club have only made past the first round once and that was last term when they upset the odds by beating Green Bell 2-1.

It will take another heroic display for them to beat Malford, who themselves have a poor cup pedigree.

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