MANAGER Matty Holmes knows Wimborne are facing a tough task to reach the final of the Dorset Senior Cup – but also says the Magpies will have nothing to lose in the last four.

Wimborne, who last won the county cup 20 years ago, tonight lock horns in the semi-final with Southern Premier League Weymouth at the Bob Lucas Stadium (7.45pm).

The Magpies, currently 11th in Division One South & West of the Southern League, set up a date with the cup holders after seeing off National South high-fliers Poole Town in the last eight.

Holmes told the Daily Echo: “It will be very difficult. Weymouth are a league higher than us and have a number of quality players.

“I am sure they will want to do well in this competition because I think they will be disappointed with their league form this season.

“You would have expected them to be around the play-offs and looking to try to get out of that league. But it hasn’t quite worked out for them so I imagine they will be strong and we will have to put in another Poole Town performance if we are going to get through.

“We are not expected to win and not too many people expected us to get this far but we were excellent against Poole and the game plan worked.

“It just shows that, on our day, we can compete with these teams if we put our minds to it. We are still inconsistent at our level but that is what happens when young lads are learning the game.

“Our lads want to improve and I am sure they will be looking forward to playing in a nice stadium and on a good pitch. I hope we can put on a good performance because we really want to get through to the final.

“Like us, Weymouth try to play and hopefully there will be a big crowd. It has all the makings of being a very entertaining game between two teams trying to play so will be worth people coming to watch.”

Holmes will take a late check on son Luke Holmes, who has been troubled recently by a back problem, while Sam Davidson, Billy Maybury and Paddy Hester all return to the Wimborne squad having missed Saturday’s defeat at Bideford.

Dorset Premier League Swanage Town & Herston will be bidding to reach their first Dorset Senior Cup final since 1991 when they meet Gillingham Town.

Gillingham, beaten 2-1 by Weymouth in last year’s final, are currently ninth in the Premier Division of the Western League. They face-off with Swans at their Hardings Lane headquarters (7.45pm).