LATE arrival Nick Hutchings is determined to grasp his golden FA Vase opportunity by starring in the biggest game of his life.

The Poole Town goalkeeper landed on his feet when he secured a move to Tatnam last month.

With regular stopper Nic Jones unavailable, Hutchings made the switch from Gosport Borough in time to join Dolphins’ push for promotion and Vase glory.

The 25-year-old will line up against Whitley Bay in the semi-final first leg tomorrow (3pm), with the prize of a Wembley showpiece awaiting the victors.

Hutchings admits he has been given the chance to fulfil a lifetime’s ambition with the Dorset club.

He told the Echo: “It is a really exciting time. The chance to play at Wembley is everyone’s dream, not just for professional footballers but definitely semi-professional footballers.

“The chance to play at a stadium like that is a once in a lifetime opportunity – unless you are Taffy (Richardson)!

“Coming into this time of the season, it is always nice to be at a club where you are fighting for trophies.

“I am really looking forward to the game – it is definitely the biggest game of my career.

“I have had a very topsy-turvy season and have had some of the lowest points of my career. But now everything is quite exciting and it worked out all right in the end.

“I am just glad I have finally found somewhere I can settle down. It looks like I am going to stay there next season as well, which is good and, hopefully, it is long term.”

He admitted to initially feeling awkward about displacing Jones so far into the club’s FA Vase campaign.

Hutchings, who is a sports coach by trade, added: “In the first training session I was there, everyone said they were really happy to see me and straight away any nerves I had about joining them went.

“The only issue I had was I felt a bit uncomfortable taking Jonesey’s place so far into the Vase run. But when I found out he wasn’t going to be available anyway because of work, it made it a lot easier.

“He said he didn’t mind because he had to go away with work, so any uncomfortable feelings I had went because I realised he was okay with it.”

Poole boss Tom Killick has a full squad to select from. Jones has also been named but Hutchings is expected to get the nod in goal.

The winners of the semi-final, with the second leg to be played at Whitley Bay a week tomorrow, will pocket £3,000 in prize money.