OPPOSITE numbers Darren Perrin and Paul Shanley are fully expecting FA Vase fever to grip west Wiltshire in the New Year, after Melksham Town and Bradford Town were pitted against each other in the fourth round.

Both sides have reached the last 32 of the Vase for the first time – Melksham beating Shepton Mallet 3-2 in front of a monster crowd of 407 whilst Bradford claimed a 4-3 triumph over Odd Down last weekend.

They will lock horns in their biggest-ever local derby at Trowbridge Road on January 17, after coming out of the hat alongside each other on Monday.

Perrin was singing from the same hymnsheet as his rival boss when admitting that the two teams probably would have preferred to avoid each other as the competition opened up nationally.

But he is in no doubt that January’s showdown will be an occasion to shelter.

“I think there’s a tinge of disappointment that we haven’t been drawn against other sides but it’s obviously great for local football and it’s going to be a huge game,” said the Melksham chief.

“The Vase has already captured the imagination of the Melksham public and we will be bringing people in numbers – I’m sure that Bradford will be expecting a crowd of 600-700.

“There’s a lot of respect between the two sides and Paul Shanley has done a good job at Bradford. Both teams will be looking at it as a winnable game and it really is a 50-50 game.

“If Bradford win, then we’ll certainly be hoping they go all the way and I like to think they’d feel the same way if we were to win the game.

“Deep down, we probably wouldn’t have wanted to be playing each other but bring it on.”

The two teams met in the final of the Wiltshire Senior Cup last season, with Melksham beating Bradford on penalties following a 3-3 draw at Chippenham Town’s Hardenhuish Park.

There will be a dress rehearsal for their Vase crunch clash as the county rivals meet in the Toolstation League Premier Division at the Conigre on Boxing Day.

“It’s the tie that both teams probably wouldn’t have wanted because it would have been nice to get two Western League sides in the last 16. But at least we’ll definitely have one,” said Bradford boss Shanley.

“It’s the last 32 of the Vase, with the winners going through to the last 16, and it’s the biggest game there’s ever been between the two sides.

“There’s a friendly rivalry between the two teams and a lot of respect. There were 500-odd fans at the Wiltshire Cup final last season and I think Melksham have improved since then.

“We’d like to improve our league position between now and January and I don’t think the Boxing Day game will have a big impact on it because we already know everything about how they play and they already know everything about us.”

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