POOLE Town are weighing up the possibility of switching their tantalising FA Cup showdown with neighbours Bashley to AFC Bournemouth’s Dean Court.

Dolphins and Bash set up an intriguing third qualifying round tie after winning their respective replays against Thame United and Fleet Town on Tuesday.

The showdown – which Poole will host on Saturday, October 9 – looks certain to generate huge interest among the East Dorset and West Hampshire footballing fraternity.

And with Cherries’ Sky-televised lunchtime trip to League One rivals Brighton being screened at Dean Court, moving the clash would provide a feast of entertainment.

With Poole having home advantage, it would be down to them to discuss a venue change with Cherries, while the Football Association would have to ratify any switch.

Dolphins vice-chairman Chris Reeves told the Daily Echo: “It is an interesting thought and I will be canvassing the opinion of my fellow directors.

“We hope there will be a great deal of local interest but, in terms of the number of people that would come to the game, there must inevitably be a ceiling.

“But with Bournemouth on the television, it is interesting to think about whether you would get several hundred Cherries supporters watching their game in the bar and then paying to watch our game.”

Poole, who played at Dean Court after they had been ejected from Poole Stadium in 1994, drew crowds of around 1,300 to Tatnam for pre-season friendlies against Cherries in 2009 and again this year.

Reeves added: “We would be very happy if we were to get anything around 1,000 for the Bashley game and very disappointed if we were to get fewer than 600.”

Will Spetch’s extra-time winner against Thame earned the Wessex League champions a crack at Bash, who progressed at the expense of Fleet thanks to Dominic Allan’s goal and a Chris Knowles penalty. Both clubs banked £4,500 in prize money for their victories with £7,500 at stake for the victors of the next round.

Poole boss Tom Killick said: “It was one-way traffic. It seemed as if they were looking for penalties from the outset so it was a relief to go through after we had dominated from start to finish.”

Bash boss Steve Riley described his side’s performance as “thoroughly professional” and added: “Nobody spoke about the Poole game before kick-off because they would have been fined for mentioning it, even me!

“I told the players it was an opportunity and urged them to seize the moment. In this competition, you don’t get carried away but anything can happen.”

Bash: Elm, Smith, Oliver, Middleton, Whitley, Knowles, Hill (Maxwell, 76), Mitchell (Byrne, 85), Allen, Gamble, T Roberts (Ferrett, 64). Unused subs: Prodomo, Riley.

Dolphins: Jones, Poore, Smeeton, M Walker, Dibba, Gill (Skelton, 70), Preston (Spetch, 100), Richardson, Hubbard, Cook (S Smith, 80), Cann. Unused subs: Bailey-Pearce, Molara (g/k).