ALRESFORD Town head into Saturday's FA Cup ‘battle of the Magpies’ buoyed by their first league win of the Sydenhams Premier season.

The Arlebury Park outfit – away to Wimborne Town in an all-black and white preliminary round affair – triumphed 1-0 at Whitchurch on Wednesday thanks to a Mohammed Nyang goal.

Wimborne also had a good midweek victory, beating Taunton 2-1 at Cuthbury to make it nine points out of 12 in the Southern One South & West, and Alresford boss Richard Luffman is under no illusions about the task ahead.

“I went to watch Wimborne and what a side they are!” he said. “Luke Holmes and Toby Holmes are a handful, Wimborne were really impressive. We’ve got a hell of a game on our hands.”

Luffman, one of a large former Otterbourne contingent to fly into the Mapgies’ nest during the summer, has been stymied by a spate of injuries.

Both holding midfielders, Scott Munro (quad muscle) and Simon Everett (groin), have been sidelined all summer and Alresford's main centre-half Sam Doswell has been playing through the pain barrier.

Fellow centre-back Liam Hall is another on the casualty list, meaning full-back Aaron Blaxall – man-of-the-match at Whitchurch - has had to switch inside.

“With Scott and Simon out, our other midfielders Chris Mason and Craig Harding have been unable to press forward like they normally would because they’ve had to do the holding role,” Luffman explained.

“Scott Munro will hopefully be back on Saturday week (at Moneyfields), but Simon is another two-and-a-half to three weeks away. Hopefully we’ll settle down shortly and show what we can do.”

Toby Holmes scored both for Wimborne on Tuesday, making it four goals in four. Matt Wright netted a late consolation for the ten-man Peacocks who had defender Callum Martindale dismissed.

Sholing hope to bounce back from their first defeat of the season with an FA Cup triumph at Bashley.

The Boatmen twice led at Moneyfields in the Sydenhams Premier on Tuesday through Nick Yeomans and Zac Mouland but were eclipsed by Dan Woodward, Robbie Pittman and Steve Hutchings.

It was good news for Bashley, though, as Shane Sheridan's late goal clinched a 3-2 home win over Newport IoW after Kabba Jack had struck twice.

Last season’s most successful Wessex FA Cup flag bearers Brockenhurst face an all-Wessex tie at Hamworthy United.

They romped to midweek glory as Mark Barker (3) and Mitchell Speechley-Price sealed an emphatic 4-0 win at Amesbury.