A North and Trophy Bank Holiday weekend

We have FA Trophy matches on Saturday, and we’re back to the day job on Bank Holiday Monday. Here’s our preview. 

AFC Sudbury are yet to pick up a League point this season, so perhaps the FA Trophy will be a pleasant relief. They will, however, face North Division opposition, Lowestoft Town making the trip.  The sides last met in the 24-25 Pitching In Southern Premier Central campaign, when the Yellows did the double. Monday sees them host a Cambridge City side who will be rather confident after walloping Walthamstow in midweek. 

Bowers and Pitsea are still looking for their first League win of the season, and have a difficult trip to Waltham Abbey on Saturday, the Abbotts now in the Pitching In Southern League after a sideways summer move. Both matches between the sides in the League last season ended in home wins. They’ll be back at the Len Salmon on Monday, Canvey Island the visitors.

Brightlingsea Regent start the weekend with a Trophy trip to Ware on Saturday, and then hit the road again on Monday, for a League match against a Felixstowe and Walton United side who unexpectedly lost their opening two matches. The Seasiders did the double against Regent last season, and will hope to build upon their FA Cup win against Woodbridge Town last weekend.

Buckhurst Hill played their first Step Four match and recorded their first Step Four win in midweek, and travel to Takeley on Monday looking to climb further up the table- Hill have no match on Saturday. 

Cambridge City delivered a fine performance in defeating Walthamstow four-nil in midweek, and face Pitching In Isthmian North opposition in the Trophy on Saturday, Redbridge making the trip. The Motormen have been in great form in the League, with three wins from three, but did slip up in the Cup last weekend. They did the double over City in the League last season. 

Monday sees City travel to take on AFC Sudbury. 

Canvey Island will start the weekend by welcoming Grays Athletic in the FA Trophy on Saturday, Athletic looking to bounce back from two defeats in a row whilst the Gulls are still finding their feet but are two unbeaten. The Gulls then travel to Bowers and Pitsea in the League on Monday. 

Concord Rangers face familiar opposition in the FA Trophy on Saturday, Witham Town making the trip. The Beachboys started their League campaign with two wins and also won in the Cup last weekend, whilst Witham won well in a Cup replay in Potters Bar in midweek and also have a one hundred percent League record. Their meetings last season both ended in home wins. Monday sees Rangers welcome Grays to the Island, Athletic making two trips to the seaside in a row after playing Canvey on Saturday. 

Fakenham Town will follow their FA Cup Replay win in midweek by hosting Wroxham in the Trophy  on Saturday. Town looked good in Cup victory in midweek, whilst the Yachtsmen will be looking for a third win in a row. Fakenham hit the road to Gorleston on Monday. 

Felixstowe and Walton United unexpectedly lost their opening two League matches, and aren’t back in action until Bank Holiday Monday, when they host Brightlingsea Regent. The Seasiders did the double against Regent last season, and will hope to build upon their FA Cup win against Woodbridge Town last weekend.

Gorleston start the weekend with a Trophy trip to Stotfold, their Pitching In Southern Division One Central hosts unbeaten after three matches in League, Cup and Trophy. They follow that with a home match against Fakenham Town on Monday, hoping to return to winning ways in the League- their last match defeat against Redbridge more than a fortnight ago.

Grays Athletic will try to bounce back from defeat at Buckhurst Hill on Tuesday with a trip to Canvey Island in the Trophy, and will follow that on Monday with a trip to Canvey Island to take on Concord Rangers in the League- someone book them a caravan so that they don’t have to spend the entire weekend stuck in traffic. 

Hashtag United, holding a one hundred percent record in the League and yet to concede a goal, welcome Royston Town to Redbridge on Saturday, their visitors sitting third in Pitching In Southern Division One Central. The Tags then face a derby against their landlords on Monday, and with the sides in first and second and both with perfect records that should be a cracker! 

Little Oakley picked up their first ever Step Four victory in midweek, and will hope to follow that with a first ever FA Trophy win as they travel to take on London Lions- who knocked Redbridge out of the FA Cup last weekend. Monday sees them on the road to Witham Town, who have had a fine start to their League campaign. 

Lowestoft Town start their weekend with a Trophy trip to AFC Sudbury- see above for details- and follow that with a trip to Wroxham on Monday. The Yachtsmen have won their last two league matches and look full of confidence, whilst the Trawler Boys hope to recover from their midweek defeat at the hands of Mulbarton Wanderers. The Yachtsmen haven’t defeated the Trawler Boys in five attempts. 

Mulbarton Wanderers have started the season in superb form, and were comfortable winners over Lowestoft Town in midweek. They look to continue their run as they travel to Welwyn Garden City in the Trophy on Saturday, City- of Pitching In Southern Division One Central- having won their last three, knocking Buckhurst Hill out of the competition in the Preliminary Round. Wanderers then travel to Newmarket Town on Monday looking to hold onto their one hundred percent record. 

Newmarket Town are still looking for a first League win, but first have a trip to take on some familiar opponents (to us, anyway), as they travel to Haringey Borough in the Trophy. Borough lost for the first time this season in midweek, leaving the FA Cup via a replay. The Jockeys then welcome Mulbarton Wanderers on Monday, their visitors looking to hold onto their one hundred percent record. 

Redbridge start the weekend with a Trophy match against Cambridge City, and then ‘travel’ to Hashtag United on Monday. See our previews above. 

Takeley head to London Lions in the Trophy on Saturday, Lions facing a second Isthmian opponent after removing Redbridge from the FA Cup last weekend. They then welcome Buckhurst Hill in the League on Monday, hoping to hold onto their one hundred percent home record (that statement needs to be qualified, this will only be their second home League match!). 

Tilbury will host Hertford Town in the Trophy on Saturday, their visitors still looking for a first win of the season- although the Dockers haven’t won in four. They then travel to take on Walthamstow on Monday- Stow took four points from the Dockers last season, and have won the last two home fixtures between the sides. 

Walthamstow will hope to bounce back from their midweek hammering at the hands of Cambridge City as they welcome Leverstock Green in the Trophy, their visitors without a win since…they knocked Stow out of the FA Cup at Extra Preliminary Round stage. They then travel to Tilbury on Monday, see above for more on that one. 

Witham Town will be buoyant after their midweek Cup win at Potters Bar Town, and will hope to continue their superb form as they travel to Concord Rangers in the Trophy- we’ve previewed that one above. They then host Little Oakley on Monday, hoping to continue their one hundred percent start. 

Wroxham start the weekend with a Trophy trip to fellow North side Fakenham Town, looking for a third win in a row. They then host Lowestoft Town on Monday, see above for details.