DORCHESTER Town chairman Matt Lucas is hoping for FA Cup success today against Banbury United (3pm) to boost the club on and off the pitch.

The Magpies have failed to put a cup run together since being knocked out by Bristol Rovers in the fourth qualifying round of the competition two years ago.

Before that, they had their biggest cup victory against Plymouth Argyle in the first round proper beating the then League Two side 1-0 at the Avenue in 2012.

Now, Lucas wants his side to push on in this year’s “important” cup.

He told Echosport: “The FA Cup is important to any non-League side.

“But I don’t want the side to go out there with that burden so they can play as freely as they can.

“The fact that we beatBanbury away in the league, because it’s the FA Cup, means nothing.

“There’s a certain specialness to the cup and it will be no different today.”

Prize money on offer for the winner is £3,000 and Lucas knows it can help the club.

He added: “Any windfall regardless of what round, is obviously very important, there’s no two ways about it.

“That’s what the cup games, for non-League teams, are all about.

“It would be gratefully received, but at the same time, the players have to go out there, play to their best of their abilities for the sake of the club.”

Meanwhile, Dorchester Town Reserves lost in the Wyvern Combination League on Thursday night, beaten 2-1 by Moneyfields.

James Spring scored the Magpies’ only goal of the game as they slumped to their first defeat of the season.

* Burton Bradstock’s Dominic Gape has moved to Wycombe on loan until January 3 from Premier League side Southampton.