MANAGER Ken Vaughan says FA Vase places will be up for grabs when Bournemouth Poppies entertain Wessex Premier rivals New Milton Town tomorrow (3pm).

Vaughan’s men host the Linnets in their final game before their fourth round tie against South Midlands League Premier Division outfit Royston Town.

Poppies, who have progressed to the last 32 for the first time in their history, chalked up an impressive 4-0 win over Bemerton in the quarter-final of the Wessex League Cup in midweek.

And despite New Milton’s lowly position, Vaughan anticipates the Linnets will provide stern opposition as Poppies look to maintain their good form ahead of their Vase showdown a week tomorrow.

Vaughan said: “Everybody will be playing for their place in the Vase but we are not getting ahead of ourselves. The players have got the bit between their teeth and are looking to climb the table.

“We are not looking beyond the New Milton game just yet and it is going to be a tough one. We played them just after the new manager had taken over and were fortunate to get the three points.

“I have got a great deal of respect for the people there and was amazed at how well they had transformed the team when we played them. They have gone from strength to strength since then and we will need to be at our best to get anything from the game.”

Poppies welcome back Sean Hogan, while Fawzi Saadi sits out due to a ban. The Linnets are without top scorer Alex Baldacchino, who is away on business, and in-form Paul Preston, who returns to university for the weekend.

Poppies: (from) Frampton, Crow, Jackson, Byrne, Crutcher, Taylor, Pinder, Rowley, Ewen, Warren, Carlile, Mas, Ingram, J Blake, Hogan, Vaughan.

Linnets: (from) Rowe, Davies, Donaldson, Stuart, Curtis, Case, Gilkes, Tanner, Moth, Chester, Proctor, Holland, Morris, Snelling, Colman, Digby.