BRAGGING rights will be at stake as well as a place in the first round proper of the FA Trophy after Weymouth and Dorchester Town were drawn together in the competition.

The local derby will take place at the Wessex Stadium on Saturday, November 21 (3pm), in front of an expected bumper crowd.

With the Terras’ well-documented financial troubles, a large crowd could also provide the club with a timely cash boost.

“It’s a good draw being at home, especially at the time it’s come with the club in so much financial difficulty,” said Weymouth boss Ian Hutchison. “Whoever we played it was a chance to get away from the league and look for a good cup run.

“It’s a realistic cup for us with a good chance to play teams in and around us.

“There’s a lot of local pride at stake and the atmosphere is always great.”

But Dorchester won’t be looking to give any sympathy to the debt-ridden Terras and Magpies’ manager Roy O’Brien believes the key to success could be not to become too engrossed in the derby atmosphere.

“It’s obviously going to generate some interest so it will be good and a difficult game for both teams, as well as living up to the fact that it’s a derby as well,” said O’Brien. “We’ll approach the game to win it but obviously you know who you are playing against.

“You can’t get caught up in the fact that it’s a derby and for the players it will be good because there hasn’t been a competitive game between the two teams for a few years.”

The last time the two sides met was on January 2, 2006, when Dorchester defeated Weymouth 2-0 at the Avenue with goals from Glen Howes and Justin Keeler.

Just a few days before, on Boxing Day 2005, Brian Dutton netted the only goal for the Terras in a 1-0 success at the Wessex Stadium in front of 4,029 fans.

Paul Buckle, now manager of Torquay United, got the winner in the last cup game between the sides, an FA Cup second round qualifier that the Terras won 1-0 on October 2, 2004.

The two sides have an even record in recent times with two wins, two draws and two losses each since the Terras thrashed the county town side 8-0 on Boxing Day 2003.