The start of a new FA Cup journey for Torquay United

Having tasted the extra excitement that went with last season’s televised FA Cup First Round tie against Derby County – a last-gasp equaliser (2-2) at Plainmoor took it to a replay at Pride Park – Torquay United manager Gary Johnson says the whole club fancies more of the same (writes Dave Thomas).

Johnson isn’t getting ahead of himself, especially as relegation to the National League South means that the Gulls must win three Qualifying Round ties, starting at Wimborne Town on Saturday (3pm), to have a hope of pulling a Derby-style game when the EFL clubs enter the competition.

But he did say: “We all know how we enjoyed the Derby games – it was a great experience for the football club”, adding with a grin that the recent appointment of his son Lee as boss of Fleetwood Town might make them tasty opposition should the chance come around.

First up is a trip to Dorset to face Southern League Division One promotion chasers Wimborne, under the Gulls’ former Wembley hero Tim Sills.

“They’ve done well in their league so far. We don’t want it to be a banana-skin,” Johnson stressed.

“We have to be aware of their best game and not play our worst game.”

Six wins in seven, and a couple of upbeat performances in recent home victories over Farnborough (3-0) and Chelmsford (2-1), has set the benchmark.

Johnson confirmed that both the club’s on-loan players, midfielder Will Jenkins Davies (Plymouth) and forward Luke Pearce (Southampton), have been cleared to play.

That, when you also consider that neither Dillon De Silva nor Dylan Crowe made it onto the bench against Chelmsford, extends Johnson’s selection options.

And anyone who’s fit will be unlucky not to pull on a shirt this weekend, with more subs allowed in the Cup.

Wimborne’s FA Trophy penalty shoot-out defeat last Saturday at Exmouth Town, managed by Sills’ former Gulls team-mate Kevin Hill, was their first loss of season.

They are handily placed in the SL Division One and are ambitious to go higher.

Perhaps the Magpies’ best known player is veteran goalkeeper Ross Flitney, 39, whom many Gulls fans will have seen during his spells at Barnet or Eastleigh among others.

Defender Scott Arnold is taking the tag ‘stalwart’ to a new level – he’s played for the Magpies for more than 20 years.

And two attacking players for Torquay to beware of may be former Poole Town midfielder Dan Bartlett and striker Harry Baker, 29, a consistent scorer over the years for Weymouth, Poole, Salisbury and most recently Frome Town.

Saturday’s referee is Steven Hughes (Sussex).

United’s Under-18 side will try to follow up their opening 2-1 win over Swindon Supermarine when they travel to Hamworthy United in the SW Counties Youth League on Saturday.

And on Sunday (2pm) at Coach Road, Newton Abbot, the United Women’s team are at home to Keynsham Town Ladies in the National League Division One SW.