Match Preview
Westbury United v Yate Town
FA Cup First Qualifying Round
Saturday 30th August 2025 - Kick-off 3.00pm
On Saturday the Bluebells travel to Southern League Division One South side, Westbury United for an FA Cup First Qualifying Round tie.
This follows on from their hectic Bank Holiday weekend when the Bluebells gained a valuable point at home to Chertsey but in an eventful game at Hungerford Town on Monday conceded two stoppage time goals and were unfortunate to return home empty handed.
Yate Town manager, Darren Mullings, will be hoping that any players with knocks from these two games will have recovered in time for Saturday and will also be keen to know the updates of those on the injured list and looking for their return to action shortly.
There will be 112 FA Cup ties played at this stage of the competition, with the winners picking up £2250 and the losers £750.
Form Guide
Last season Westbury finished in 13th place in the Southern League Division One South having just avoided relegation the previous season. The former Western League club have played 3 league games so far this season starting with two wins against Bideford, 2-1 away on the opening day of their League season and 1-0 at home against Winchester City three days later. Last Monday they lost 0-1 at home to Frome Town.
In the FA Trophy Preliminary Round Westbury drew 1-1 at Falmouth and went on to win the penalty shoot-out 8-7.
In the FA Cup Westbury won 7-0 away to Sherborne Town in the Extra Preliminary Round and then won 1-0 at Bradford Town in the Preliminary Round.
Last season Westbury United achieved one of the shocks of the round at the Second Qualifying Round stage when they beat AFC Totton at Meadow Lane. AFC Totton went on to gain promotion, via the play-offs, from the Sothern League Premier Division South and are now competing in the National league South.
Previous meetings
The clubs have only met four times in the league, both over the past 2 seasons, and Yate Town have won all four games. They got the double in season 2023/24, winning Darren Mullings’ first game in charge 2-1 at the South West Interiors Stadium, with goals from Aaron Parsons and Joe O’Loughlin after Callum Demkiv had given Westbury the lead when he scored from the rebound after Aaron Sainsbury had saved his penalty. With the scores level at 1-1 Westbury were awarded a second penalty kick but Demkiv’s put his spot kick over the bar.
In the return game on the Good Friday, Yate Town won 2-0 at Meadow Lane, Westbury, with first half goals from James Taylor and Dylan Lewis.
Last season, back in November, Yate Town beat Westbury United 1-0 at The South West Interiors Stadium with a late goal from James Byrne and in March, on a Tuesday evening, the Bluebells won 2-1 with King Baidoo scoring early on. But Westbury drew level through Bevan Cross (now a Yate Town player), only for Marlon Jackson to score a stoppage time winner to secure all three points.
Marlon Jackson in action during the game at Westbury in March, where he went on to score a late winner to secure all three points.
Getting there
Westbury play at Meadow Lane, Westbury, Wiltshire BA13 3AF and the 30-mile journey should take about 58 minutes from Yate via the A46 and the A363. From their ground you can see the famous “Westbury White Horse”.
Next up
In the event of the game at Westbury being drawn, the replay will take place at the South West Interiors Stadium on Tuesday 2nd September, with a 7.45pm kick-off.
Next Saturday , 6th September, the Bluebells are at home to Gosport Borough (3pm) and Tiverton Town visit the South West Interiors Stadium the following Tuesday, 9th September (7.45pm)
The draw for the Second Qualifying Round will take place on Monday with most ties being played on Saturday 13th September.