FA Cup weekend: South East

Ashford United welcome South Central side Hanworth Villa to Homelands. The Nuts and Bolts have seen their start to the season hampered by pitch issues, but these are now resolved and they’ll hope to record a first home win of the season against the Villains (note- they’ve only played one home match, and that was a draw!). Their visitors seem to have become draw specialists, with three one-one draws from their four league matches so far, but have recorded two impressive cup wins, over Abbey Rangers and Chertsey Town.

Carshalton Athletic welcome VCD Athletic to Colston Avenue. The Robins have lost their last two matches and have had a stuttering start to the campaign, whilst a similar charge can be levelled against the Vickers, who defeated Tooting & Mitcham United in the last round. Perhaps this will be the weekend to kick start someone’s season?

Corinthian-Casuals are the hosts as Burgess Hill Town travel to Tolworth. The Hillians have had a torrid start to their Pitching In Isthmian South East campaign, losing every league match- although they did record a victory over Stansfield in the last round. Casuals have been a little hit and miss, with one win, two draws and two defeats from their last five, but will hope to have too much for their Sussex opponents. The hosts had their best run in the competition for many a year last season, departing the competition in the final Qualifying Round after taking St Albans City to a replay. The visitors best recent run was that memorable 2017-18 season, when they reached the Fourth Qualifying Round.

Cray Valley PM welcome Hastings United to Kent. The two know each other well, having met in the Pitching In Isthmian South East for the last few seasons. United have generally had the best of their encounters, with three wins and two draws from their last six meetings; but that Millers victory wasn’t all that long ago, November last year seeing them triumph at Pilot Field. The Millers enter the fray four matches unbeaten, whilst United have begun to find their Premier feet, and alongside a win over Brightlingsea Regent have taken points from Lewes and Folkestone Invicta, who are amongst the promotion favourites.

East Grinstead Town will take great pride from their Pitching In Isthmian Performance of the Month Award win for August, and they’ve a tough match in prospect as they welcome Pitching In Isthmian South East leaders Beckenham Town. The Wasps have had a fine start to the campaign, winning every match at home and losing only one of their three away fixtures; whilst Becks have done even better, winning each one of their six matches so far.

Hythe Town’s last round matches with Raynes Park Vale saw thirteen goals, three red cards and fourteen yellow cards, so the Cannons will be hoping for something a little more pedestrian, perhaps! They have a tough task, as they welcome Hayes & Yeading United, in mid table in Pitching In Southern Premier South, but unbeaten in five and with only one defeat all season.

Leatherhead welcome Chichester City in the meeting of two all-green-mean-machines! The Tanners fans would say that their side hasn’t been mean enough this season, with one win and three defeats from their league campaign, but they were quite mean against City’s Sussex rivals Haywards Heath Town in the last round, winning three-nil. City were unbeaten until narrow defeat at Lancing on Monday, and have scored six FA Cup goals to reach this stage, conceding none.

Metropolitan Police are the hosts as Corinthian travel to Imber Court. The visitors are still searching for their first league win of the season, but saved their most convincing performance for the last round of the cup, defeating Guildford City three-nil. Met are in mid table in Pitching In Isthmian Premier South, and defeated Hendon on Monday.

Midhurst & Easebourne welcome Chatham Town. The hosts, from West Sussex, have lost only one match this season, and sit in a comfortable fifth place in the SCEFL Premier, two points behind the leaders. The Chats already have a cup win in Sussex this season, defeating Little Common in the Extra Preliminary, and travel on the back of four consecutive victories.

Sevenoaks Town welcome Kingstonian to Greatness Park. Oaks lost for the first time this season on Monday, as Chatham Town came from behind to take victory- perhaps they were too focused on this tie against Premier Division opponents? The K’s are unbeaten, but did draw the first four of their five matches so far before defeating Carshalton Athletic on Monday.

Sheppey United defeated a Sussex side, Newhaven, in the last round- and their reward is to face another, Lewes. The Ites haven’t yet managed to win a league match, but they have scored eleven cup goals after twice being taken to replays; whilst the Rooks are undefeated but have drawn three of their five games.

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