Tavvy trip is a tough one for Borough

Gosport Borough’s FA Cup journey starts in deepest Devon tonight against a club who have enjoyed a stunning few years.

Tavistock AFC were playing at step 8 - the same level as Denmead and

Harvest Home in the second tier of the Hampshire Premier League - as recently as 2014/15.

That season they won the second tier of the South West Peninsula League and in 2018/19 topped the Premier Division.

Their first season in the Western League Premier - the same level as the top flight of the Wessex League - was halted by the pandemic.

At the time life went into lockdown they were top of the table, three points clear of Plymouth Parkway but having played three more games. They had won 20 of their 26 matches.

Tavistock won their first league game of 2020/21 5-1 at Chipping Sodbury but, after a draw with Buckland, crashed 4-1 at Exmouth in their third.

The Lambs landed a major coup in the summer when they persuaded former Plymouth Argyle chairman Paul Stapleton to become their new chairman.

Stapleton spent the best part of eight years as chairman of Plymouth, and together with manager Paul Sturrock oversaw two EFL promotions into the Championship.

He is eager to boost crowds at Langsford Park

‘Tavistock did exceptionally well last season to get where they were in the league, but we only have an average of 100 fans at a game and we need more,’ Stapleton said.

‘Taunton Town, for example, can get up to

800-900. If we managed 250 a game, that would make a big difference. If we had 500, we could go further than we currently are.

‘I think, with the structure we have at the moment, the club could get to the Southern League.

‘There is no reason why the football club shouldn’t be supported and I want people to feel that it is a club which belongs to the town.’

Tavistock - the only town in Devon with World Heritage Status, and a population of just over 11,000 - reached the third qualifying round last season before losing 4-1 at Hawks’ National League South rivals Welling.

Gosport reached the first round proper for the first time in their history in 2014/15, losing 6-3 to Colchester at Privett Park.

Since then, Borough have only won three FA Cup ties in six seasons. - SIMON CARTER