It will be second time lucky for Falmouth Town this weekend as they make the trip to Dorset to face Christchurch for their rearranged FA Vase third round proper tie.

Town are preparing to make a festive journey to the Wessex League Premier Division side on Sunday (December 27), with the tie at the Hurn Bridge Sports Ground to kick-off at 3pm.

Andrew Westgarth's side were initially due to make their second trip to Christchurch in as many seasons – following their 2-1 defeat to the Dorset club in the same stage of the Vase in 2019 – on Saturday, but the match was postponed following an early-morning pitch inspection.

The rearrangement means Town's festive South West Peninsula League double-header at home to Wendron United on Boxing Day and at Mousehole on December 28 have been postponed.

The Wendron postponement was especially disappointing for both clubs, with the game set to have been the second annual Kevin Williamson Memorial Shield match, played in memory of the former Wendron chairman. The match has now been moved to Wednesday, January 13, 2021.

FA rules state that ties must be played within eight days of the original date, meaning the last available date for the Christchurch game is this Sunday.

Town had hoped to play the tie on Wednesday night, but with Christchurch unwilling to play that day and with Town keen to avoid making the long journey on Boxing Day, the tie has been set for this Sunday.

"It's tough to take but you can't fault Christchurch for making the effort," Westgarth said. "They pulled out all the stops [to get the original tie on], but the knock-on effect is it's just disappointing that we don't have the Boxing Day game which is a memorial game for Kevin Williamson.

"It's disappointing for his family, and then obviously we miss out on the Mousehole game.

"But that being said, we are a big club, we want to be in big competitions and we want to be in the latter stages.

"This is what comes with it and if you'd asked me if I'd rather be in the fourth round of the FA Vase, a big game, or play a league game, I'd have taken the Vase game. It's something to be excited about and look forward to."

Despite the difficulty in rearranging the fixture, Westgarth is looking forward to returning to Dorset to play for a place in the last 32 of the national non-league competition.

"I'm looking forward to it," he said. "Other than the Wendron scenario, I think it's a dream scenario for families. I think we'll get more support up there. Boxing Day would have been very difficult."

The winner of Sunday's tie is due to visit US Portsmouth in the fourth round proper on Sunday, January 9, 2021, but there is considerable doubt over whether the fixture will be held.

US Portsmouth were busy winning 3-2 at home to Cornish side Millbrook on Saturday afternoon when Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that Portsmouth and several other area of south-east England would be moved into a new, stricter Tier Four of coronavirus restrictions.

Only elite sport is permitted to be played in Tier Four areas, so an exception would need to be granted for the tie – and several others concerning Tier Four clubs – to go ahead.

If the tie is not allowed to go ahead then the winner of Sunday's tie could go straight into the fifth round.

Alternatively, the tournament could be suspended until ties are allowed to be played, or cancelled altogether.