Eastleigh enter the Emirates FA Cup with a trip to fellow Vanarama National League side Dorking Wanderers in the Fourth Round Qualifying.
Dorking Wanderers:
Dorking will be eager to brush off the memories of their most recent fixture, in which the Wanderers lost 4-1 away at Altrincham.
The Wanderer’s boss, Marc White, will be hoping the competition provides a relief from the hosts’ current league form as the Wanderers have recorded just one win in their last four matches and conceded nine in the process.
The Surrey side were promoted from the National League South last season via the play-offs but have never made it beyond the Fourth Round Qualifying of the FA Cup.
James McShane is Dorking Wanderers’ top goal scorer this season with an impressive 10 goals already this season and he will be hoping he can re-find his goalscoring form having not scored in the previous two matches.
Eastleigh FC:
Eastleigh are unbeaten in the last four matches and come into the match full of confidence thanks to a 92nd minute winner from Brennan Camp against high-flyers Chesterfield.
The Spitfires now sit in a promising 10th position just three points from the play-off spots despite having played one game fewer than York City.
However, league form can be thrown out of the window, when it comes to any cup competition and the FA Cup is most notorious of them all for upsets.
Lee Bradbury’s side have produced goals from a variety of scorers with nine different players getting their name on the scoresheet this season.
Previous Meetings:
Despite being in the same domestic league, this fixture will be the first-ever meeting between the two sides in their 23 years of co-existence as the Surrey-side have quickly worked their way up the footballing pyramid having been founded in 1999.
If the match ends in a draw a replay will take place at the Silverlake Stadium with details to follow in due course.
Preview by Sajidur Rahman
