The Dolphins take a break from league action this weekend as we travel to the Webbswood Stadium to take on Swindon Supermarine in the first qualifying round of the Emirates FA cup.

Steve Tully will be hoping to take the team further than the third qualifying round exit that we suffered last season when we went down 3-1 at Bracknell.

Swindon have encountered a sluggish start to the season, losing their first three fixtures but they earned 4 points over the Bank Holiday weekend, with a 1-1 draw at Havant & Waterlooville followed up by a 2-0 win over local rivals Hungerford Town.

Marine finished last season in 16^th place (P42 W13 D10 L19 49 points) which was something of a surprise as in the previous campaign they narrowly missed the play-offs.

The Marine Head Coach is the very experience Stuart Fleetwood who we have faced several times in recent seasons as he has worn the colours of many clubs at this level. He joined Marine in June 2018 and was captain of the team. He had played for Redditch United and Merthyr Town during the previous 2017/18 season and was with the Marine until the end of the curtailed 2019/20 season before joining Yate Town in the following 2020/21 season as player coach. He was with Yate for a couple of seasons before joining Gloucester City in 2022/23 as coach, before he was appointed Head Coach at Marine in September 2023 and led the team to Premier South survival. Fleets has now signed a 2-year contract with Marine until May 2026.

Fleetwood has used the strong relationship that they enjoy with Swindon Town to bring in the promising young striker Anton Dworzak on a month’s loan. He made his debut for the club against Havant & Waterlooville and scored his first goal on Bank Holiday Monday in the 88^th minute to secure the points against Hungerford Town.

We go into the match full of confidence after a great performance in the local derby where Charlie Davis’s first half strike earned us three more valuable points. We have conceded just one goal from open play which is testament to our impressive defensive organisation. However, we need to be converting more of the chances that we are creating if we are to realise our full potential. Steve Tully has shown that he is prepared to use the squad to the full, making use of the new five substitute rule.

As often appears to be the case, fate determines that we will be back at the Webbswood Stadium next weekend in the Southern League Premier South fixture.

So, lets get behind the lads as we hope to embark on a productive FA Cup run.

Enjoy the game,

Neil Wellington.