BOTH Bradford Town and Melksham Town are looking to reach the fifth round of the FA Vase with victories this weekend.

Bradford, who currently occupy second place in the Toolstation League Premier Division, will surpass last season’s cup run should they progress to the next round on Saturday.

Manager Danny Greaves and his troops face a long trip to Newport on the Isle of Wight as they aim for a victory that would take them into the last 16 of the competition - a stage they last reached in 2015.

With the target of improving on last season’s efforts, when they were knocked out by London side Southall, Greaves admits the game is a grand occasion for everyone at the club as they travel to a Newport side sitting third from bottom in the Wessex League Premier Division.

“It is a big game for us. We got to the same stage last year and we were disappointed to get knocked out,” he said.

“We will be going all out to better what we did last season.

“Our coach is leaving at 8am, then we are jumping on the ferry and going the rest of the way.

“We have spoken to a number of other clubs who have made the same journey and we believe that is the best way to go about it.”

Melksham manager Kieran Baggs says he has been fully briefed ahead of this weekend’s last-32 clash with Crowborough Athletic, who ply their trade in the Southern Counties East League Premier Division.

Baggs will be hoping his side can bounce back from a disappointing league defeat to Chipping Sodbury Town last weekend, despite suggesting their visitors will be slight favourites.

“We went down and got a full match analysis and one of our players knows a lad who has given us a report,” he said.

“You have to go into it as prepared as you can. There are lots of former Conference South players so it is probably something which makes us underdogs.”

The Melksham boss is also hoping to see plenty of people at Oakfields as they bid to become the first Town team to make it to the fifth round of the competition.

“It is a great chance for the club. We can be the first Melksham team who have got past the last 32, so the players will be up for it,” he said.

“The supporters have been amazing and we had over 400 people there on Saturday, so hopefully we can get a bumper crowd.

“The Vase is massively important for everyone at the club.

“It is like our Champions League because you do get to play teams from all five divisions.

“To play for the right to play at Wembley is exciting for every player.”