FA VASE third round day should be a magical occasion for competition newcomers Hamble Club.

But the allure of lower non-League's prestigious national trophy has been lost on the Monks with manager Ben Kneller wryly observing: "We're not even breaking out of our own postcode at the minute."

Having waited so long to explore pastures new, Hamble’s debut Vase 'adventure' has so far consisted of four ties – all against fellow Sydenhams Wessex clubs.

Their prize for beating Bemerton 3-1 in the first qualifying round was another home tie against Petersfield which ended 5-0. A short trip to Romsey followed and that 3-2 win led to a 5-4 extra-time thriller against Brockenhurst in the second round proper.

Disappointingly, it will be the same old story on Saturday (3pm) when SWL Premier rivals Horndean make the short trip to The Abbey in the last 64.

“I know it's still regionalised at this stage, but the FA Vase should be something to get excited about," said Kneller. "You want to test yourself against different sides from different leagues.

"But we’ve got Horndean, Sholing have got Blackfield & Langley and Christchurch have got Newport (IW). Where’s the fun in that?

“We’re new to the Vase as a club, but 90 per cent of our team have been there in the past and it does take the sparkle out of it when all you’re doing is playing sides from your own league.

“I can’t help but wonder how you can end up playing five Wessex League teams.”

As a youngster Kneller was on Winchester City’s books and still cherishes fond memories of travelling with the side on their triumphant 2003/04 Vase voyage.

“I was in the youth team and we followed the first team around and got to see different villages and towns and meet different people,” he said.

“Years later you should be reminiscing with your old teammates, saying ‘do you remember that day we went to West Country?’, but you’re not going to say ‘do you remember beating Bemerton at home?’, are you?”

Dave Diaper, who led Sholing to Vase glory in 2013/14, said it earned the Boatmen “street cred” all the way down to Cornwall.

But Kneller’s fear is that Hamble could exit the competition before anyone outside Wessex circles actually realises they’re in it.

“Sholing, Blackfield and Newport have long been strong non-League clubs, but we’ve come out of the Hampshire League and we’d like sides from further up the country to know about us. It's about having a bit of identity,” he said.

“But I feel for Sholing and Blackfield too because they'll both believe they could go far in the competition and one of them’s going to go out now.

“The only surprise to me is that Baffins and Team Solent are not playing each other!

“Playing in a national cup should mean exactly that. We’re still in it, but we’re not the happiest about it."