FA Cup weekend: North

Berkhamsted welcome our very own Witham Town. Witham have had a fine start to the campaign and picked up our Pitching In Performance of the Month award this week, recognising their five-nil win over London Colney in an earlier round. They have tough opponents, however, their hosts top of Pitching In Southern Division One Central having won three of their four matches- and having yet to concede a goal at home.

Bury Town and AFC Sudbury will soon be sick of each other at this rate! After Bank Holiday Monday’s entertaining two-two draw, the old rivals are at it again in the Cup, once more at Ram Meadow. The Yellows will remember what cup glory feels like, as they- of course- reached the First Round last season; whilst Town haven’t reached that stage since 2008-09, and would undoubtedly love another cup run of their own. Both sides are so far unbeaten this season, but one of them will have to lose this tie, either this weekend or next week.

East Thurrock United have had an unfortunate start to their Pitching In Isthmian North campaign, without a point after four matches. They did, however, defeat Clapton in the last round of the cup, and their reward for that is a home tie against Biggleswade. The visitors, from the Pitching In Southern Division One Central, are four matches unbeaten- having drawn the last two.

Edgware & Kingsbury are the hosts for Grays Athletic. Grays lost their first match of the season across all competitions last Monday, Witham Town getting a late winner, and will hope to quickly bounce back as they make the trip to Silver Jubilee Park. The hosts have had a fine start to the season, unbeaten across the Combined Counties Premier North, Cup and FA Vase.

Hitchin Town are the hosts for unbeaten Heybridge Swifts. Our Pitching In Isthmian North side will be delighted with their form after winning five of their six matches in all competitions so far, including the last four- and their supporters will be particularly happy after they defeated local rivals Maldon & Tiptree last time out. Hitchin will be the favourites, because they sit in sixth place in the Pitching In Southern Premier Central, with only one defeat all season. They have been short of home goals, however, scoring only one in their three home matches.

Lowestoft Town welcome Sheringham, as one set of Seasiders entertain another. The Trawler Boys have been in superb form, and have won every match so far this season; whilst Sheringham sit thirteenth in the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division. They defeated Fakenham Town and March Town United to reach this stage.

Maldon & Tiptree welcome Haringey Borough, the Jammers reeling from a string of four successive league defeats, conceding two goals in each of them. They did win in the last round of the cup, however, defeating Harpenden Town- and of course have a fine cup pedigree, reaching the First Round in 20-21 and the Second Round the season before. That run to the First Round saw them defeat Borough, so the side from White Hart Lane will be looking for revenge- and are three matches unbeaten in the league.

We say a big welcome back to the previews to Romford, who are the hosts for Hashtag United. Boro have lost only once since their Essex Senior League campaign began- although they seem to have spent most of it playing against Takeley (three matches), who must be sick of the sight of them! The Tags are four matches unbeaten and have won three of them- and they did defeat Romford once in the league and once in the County Cup last season, the third match between them ending in a draw.

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