FA Vase: Falmouth Town aim to 'do county proud' on Jersey Bulls trip

Falmouth Town fans have raised enough money to charter a plane from Newquay for the match

Falmouth Town boss Andy Westgarth hopes his side can "do the county proud" when they face Jersey Bulls in the FA Vase.

The Western Premier League side have chartered a plane from Newquay to the Channel Island for the last-16 tie.

The club crowdfunded £2,500 to secure the plane and sold each of the £300 seats which players and fans will share, leaving Newquay on Saturday morning and returning after the game.

"There's a lot of people going over there," Westgarth told BBC Cornwall.

"Credit to Jersey and the way they've looked after us," he added.

"I've never met any of them, but talking to them on the phone and emails what a club - what they've put on for us and what they're doing for us.

"Hopefully it'll be a great game and we're really looking forward to it because this is why we play football, for moments like this."

Falmouth's best FA Vase performance came in the 1989-90 season when they reached the quarter-finals - victory in St Helier on Saturday would match that feat.

It is the first time in 29 years that Falmouth have reached the fifth-round stage of the FA Vase, while Bulls lost to eventual runners-up Newport Pagnell Town at the same stage last season.

Falmouth had a storied non-league history as one of Cornwall's top sides in the 1960's and 1970's - they reached the FA Cup first round three times between 1962 and 1969.

Jersey Bulls beat Hamworthy Recreation 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw to progress to the last 16

Though the club then went through a less successful period, Westgarth says he was reminded by a friend how much things have improved again in recent years.

"One of my best mates texted me 'when you took over the job there was one man and his dog behind the goal', I think we averaged about 40 people.

"Then he said 'could you see yourself in nine seasons' time managing a team playing in Jersey and on a plane?' and I just laughed.

"I'm immensely proud of what we've done on the pitch and off the field and I hope we can do the county, club and Western League proud."

With both sides three games from Wembley and both sitting fourth in their respective ninth-tier leagues it appears there is little to choose between the sides going into the big game.

"They'll be a good side, I've done a little bit of research on them," says Westgarth.

"It'll be difficult, not having that extra time and going straight to penalties is always a bit of a gamble.

"You could dominate the game but you know in the back of your head that if you concede in the last minute, or whatever, it goes to penalties and it's a lottery,

"But I'm confident in the group, I'm confident in the team."