Stage set for Football South Coast's revamped Bampton Cup competition

The opening round draw for the annual Cup competition took place on Tuesday, with the round to feature all 11 District League sides plus Hill Top, Coledale, Dandaloo, Oak Flats Kraken and Albion Park City from Community League.

Round one will see Oak Flats take on fellow District League club Fernhill. In the other games, Warilla will host Hill Top; Berkeley Sports meets University, Shellharbour takes on Oak Flats Falcons; Albion Park City faces Balgownie; Dandaloo tackles Gerringong; and Picton meets Thirroul.

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All matches are set to be played in late February, with the schedule and venues yet to be confirmed.

The Bampton Cup is Football South Coast's biggest Cup competition, with Premier League teams to join the action in later rounds. The Cup is set to run until the final takes place on July 30.

It's been three years since the last champion was declared, with COVID putting the brakes on the Cup in recent history. The last Cup winner was Wollongong United in 2020, after they beat Bulli 2-0 in the decider at Ian McLennan Park.

"We're hoping it's going to be a lot quieter and more smooth than previous seasons," FSC competition manager Bobby Mazevski said on Tuesday.

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