BASINGSTOKE Town manager Jason Bristow says he has learned lessons from his side’s Hampshire Senior Cup exit and insists that FA Cup opponents Bridgwater Town will not be taken lightly.

The Town boss made nine changes for last week’s county cup tie and saw his team dumped out of the competition by Wessex League outfit Tadley Calleva as a result.

That result is still fresh in Bristow’s mind as he prepares to take his side to Southern League Division One side Bridgwater in the Second Qualifying Round of the FA Cup on Saturday – and he is determined not to make the same mistake twice.

“We have learned from the Tadley game,” he said. “We realise that we rested too many players, but we needed to give other players minutes on the pitch and see what they were about in a competitive game.

“On Saturday, we will have no hesitation in playing the strongest team we can as we look to get through, but we have got to be careful because Bridgwater will be looking to cause an upset.

“We have had them watched a couple of times. They have pace in the forward areas, a good long throw and are a big side who can cause problems from set-pieces, so we will need to prepare for that.”

Town would have to win a total of 11 ties in order to lift the FA Cup at Wembley next May. That is an almost impossible task, but Bristow and his men are determined to win three ties and give themselves a chance of facing a Football League side in the first round proper.

“We are excited about getting our FA Cup campaign under way,” the Basingstoke manager added. “It’s a break from the league but it’s a competition that we always get excited about.

“It’s a competition that players always look forward to because you never know what could happen. You always have dreams of reaching the first, second or even third round, causing upsets and playing big sides.”

Bristow may not want to make wholesale changes, but he may be forced to field a new central defensive pairing of Robbie Rice and Jamie Brown as regular duo David Ray and Jay Gasson are slight doubts for the game.

Two members of the Town squad have been allowed to join other clubs on a duel-registration basis. Alex Charlick has gone to Fleet Town, while Kieran Maylen will play for Badshot Lea.