BRIDPORT boss Adam Fricker feels home advantage will play a key role in the Bees’ Les Phillips Cup quarter-final tie with Shepton Mallet on Saturday (3pm).

Fricker’s men have already played Mallet twice this season, coming away with one win and a loss, but the Bridport manager feels his side can capitalise on recent good displays at home to make it into the semi-finals.

He told the Bridport News: “It’s always nice to be at home, of late we’ve had some very good performances at home. Home advantage certainly does make a difference.

“I went to watch them on Saturday against Street, but we’re in for a tough game. They’re a very good, well-organised footballing side.

“We’re in the quarter-finals of the cup and we’ll have to be at our best. We’ve got nothing to lose to a certain extent but we’ll certainly have to be cautious of them.”

Given the cut-throat nature of cup football, Fricker feels his charges will need to be “switched on” to make progress in a competition that bears their only realistic chance of silverware this campaign.

He said: “We’ve played them twice this season and beaten them at home and lost away. They’ll know enough about us.

“If we play to our best then we’ll stand a very good chance of going through to the next round, but we’ll need to be switched on with everything that we do.”

Fricker is also set to welcome back two players for the crucial cup clash.

He said: “Ed Butcher and Alan Hill will be in contention. We’ll have a big squad to select from and we should be going in with a fully-fit 18.”