BOSS Steve Cuss has tasked his Wimborne players with meeting head on a “real challenge” when they face Dorchester Town in the final of the Dorset Senior Cup tonight.
The Southern League Division One South & West strugglers lock horns with the Conference South high-fliers at Hamworthy United’s County Ground (7.45pm).
Injury and ineligibility have left Wimborne’s resources thin on the ground, with no fewer than five first-choice players unavailable for the county showpiece.
Leading goalscorer Matt Kemble was the latest addition to the list after he sustained torn ligaments in his shoulder during Saturday’s 1-0 win over Mangotsfield.
Striker Tom Jeffes and midfielder Micky Hubbard both sit out after playing in an earlier round for former club Poole Town, while new recruits Jon Blake and Shaun Brian were not signed in time to feature.
However, despite the shortage of bodies, Cuss is refusing to use it as an excuse and wants his back-up boys to stake their claim for regular first-team action.
Cuss told the Daily Echo: “It is just reward for our players to be in a cup final and we are really looking forward to testing ourselves against a quality team like Dorchester who have had a fantastic season.
“Although our squad is stretched to the limit, we will make sure everyone will be up for it because it is a cup final. We always said it would be about building a squad and we feel we have got one here now and it is going to be tested.
“We certainly would never use player unavailability as an excuse and I feel it should be quite the opposite. Players who have not been in the side can come in and show me that maybe they should be. We have been trying to build a squad all season and we will certainly use it against Dorchester.”
Despite languishing in second from bottom in Division One South & West, Wimborne’s fears of relegation have been dispelled thanks to an improved second half of the season, sparked by a New Year’s Eve victory over promotion hopefuls Hungerford.
Cuss added: “Results and performances since the turn of the year have been what I have been looking for.
“We were a little inconsistent up until Christmas and didn’t really know what we were going to get. But consistency since then has brought about better rewards, both in terms of points in the league and getting us to this final.”
Wimborne, beaten finalists in 2010, draft in reserve team quartet Marcus Cullen, Ben Mogg, Joe Mills and Carl Chivers, while goalkeeper Jason Harvell returns after missing the Mangotsfield victory.
Defender Nathan Peprah-Annan, who is dual registered with both clubs, will play for Wimborne against the holders.
Wimborne: (from) Harvell, Arnold, Cole, Roast, Peprah-Annan, Webb, Davidson, Hill, Magookin, Hunt, Cullen, Mogg, Mills, Chivers, Jamal, Battison, Ackerman.
Dorchester: (from) Floyd, Critchell, Bell, Smeeton, Martin, Jermyn, N Walker, S Walker, S Buckler, Nicholls, Gleeson, Crittenden, Worsfold, Carlile, Malsom, Dovell, Godfrey, Way.
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