BASINGSTOKE Town may not have secured a money-spinning tie against a Football League club, but manager Jason Bristow believes that the draw for the FA Cup First Round gives his side a real opportunity to progress in the competition.

On the face of it, being drawn at home to Vanarama Conference side AFC Telford United is not particularly exciting, given that Town could have been drawn out of the hat with the likes of Sheffield United, Coventry City or Portsmouth.

However, a home game against the side currently bottom of the league above them does give Basingstoke a genuine opportunity to reach the second round for just the fourth time in their history.

Bristow, pictured, said: “Everyone wants to draw a Football League club but when you look at the bigger picture, we have a real chance of making the second round. Telford will look at it in the same way, so it should be a good game.

“I am pleased that we are at home. Hopefully, the town will get behind us again, as they have in the last few games, and help us to cause an upset.”

The FA Cup tie will take place on November 8, but before that, Town will be looking to maintain their position at the top of the Vanarama Conference South by beating Chelmsford City at The Soccer AM Stadium on Saturday.

Basingstoke go into the game unbeaten in their last eight outings. They will be favourites to beat a Chelmsford side who currently sit 13th in the table, but the Essex club have been in fine form of late.

They were knocked out of the FA Cup by Conference leaders Barnet on Tuesday, but they had lost just one of their previous nine games before that and won 3-2 away at high-flying Havant and Waterlooville in their last league outing.

“Chelmsford have been winning games and scoring a lot of goals, so they will come to us high in confidence,” Bristow said. “They have been a direct side in the past, but their recent results show that they are effective.

“Being top of the league puts us under a different sort of pressure and gives us a different challenge – but it’s one that I am enjoying.

“We are finding that teams are looking to pack the midfield and make it difficult for us to break them down. So far, we have been able to find different ways to win games and long may it continue.”

Bristow will continue to be without the suspended Manny Williams and Sam Argent, who twisted his knee in training last week. Striker Liam Enver-Marum is also a major doubt for Saturday’s game after hurting his knee against Harrow, while Robbie Rice is said to have a 50/50 chance of recovering from a groin strain in time to play.