It's FA Cup weekend- and the action starts tonight!

This weekend is FA Cup weekend, and a number of our clubs enter the competition for the first time in the Preliminary Round. The action starts tonight, so get along to your nearest match and enjoy the competition when it only features clubs who actually want to be in it and don’t see it as an inconvenience!

Friday

We have two ties between North Division opponents tonight. The first will be played at Parkside, home of Aveley FC, but Aveley will not be featuring, as instead they are hosting a match between Bowers & Pitsea and Barking. The visitors have lost their first two matches of the season by an odd goal and will be looking to kick start their campaign, whilst Bowers haven’t conceded a goal and scored five at home to Waltham Abbey in the Velocity Trophy in midweek. The match is being played at Parkside whilst a new 3G surface is laid at the Len Salmon.

Coggeshall Town host Witham Town, and this match will be recorded by BT Sport as well as featuring as our #bostikmatchday feature- so you can read more about it here around half an hour after the final whistle!

Finally tonight, Tooting & Mitcham United, yet to record a victory this season, will be hoping to open their account at Imperial Fields as they face Combined Counties Premier side Horley Town. Town won their last away match, defeating AFC Hayes 1-0 last weekend, and sit in seventh place in their division.

Saturday

AFC Stoneham- The Purples- won their first ever FA Cup match to get to the Preliminary Round, and will host Westfield. Westfield are unbeaten in the league so far, but were heavily defeated by Corinthian-Casuals in the Velocity Trophy in midweek.

AFC Sudbury take on Mildenhall Town, whilst Herne Bay travel to picturesque Arundel. Fans will find that the entrance to the Arundel ground is inside the car park opposite the castle, and if you’ve never been to Arundel get there early, it’s a beautiful town which, as well as castle and cathedral, has some fabulous pubs, café’s and restaurants.

Ashford United also take on Southern Combination opposition in Horsham YMCA, and they’d be advised not to take the opposition likely. YMCA, who until last season hosted neighbours Horsham before the Hornets made the temporary move to Lancing, will be remembered well by Premier Division Burgess Hill Town, after knocking them out of the FA Cup three seasons ago.

Aveley will get Parkside back on Saturday, as they host a battle of two in-form sides with the visit of Premier Division Potters Bar Town, whilst Thamesmead Town travel to Balham, currently top of the Combined Counties Premier Division with a one hundred percent record. You may recall that Balham defeated Dulwich Hamlet in the Semi Final of the London Senior Cup last year.

Uxbridge travel to Beaconsfield Town, who used to be called Beaconsfield and Slough Youth Club Old Boys but changed their name last year because they got sick of people asking what SYCOB meant (possibly), whilst Dereham Town travel to Bedford Town.
Soham Town Rangers visit Biggleswade, who play in the Spartan South Midlands Premier Division and who lost- for the first time this season- to Potton United on Tuesday, whilst Brentwood Town host Sporting Bengal, who ended last season in tenth place in the Essex Senior League.

Hayes & Yeading United head to Brimscombe & Thrupp in an ampersand derby. Brimscombe play in the Hellenic Premier Division and are based just outside Stroud in Gloucestershire. Whitstable Town head to CB Hounslow United (CB stands for Cater Bank) of the Combined Counties Premier, whilst Carshalton Athletic renew their rivalry with Horsham. Chalfont St Peter host Maccabi London Lions, another from the Spartan South Midlands league, whilst in another all-Bostik tie Cheshunt take on Canvey Island.

Chipstead take on Corinthian (Southern Counties East Premier Division, and not at all Casual(s)), whilst Corinthian-Casuals are at home, with the Trams of Croydon FC able to take a tram as far as Wimbledon before boarding a train to Tolworth. Cray Wanderers will look to continue their great start to the season at home to Rusthall, whilst East Grinstead Town will play South Park.

Those looking for a football double-header would be advised to head for Parkside, as before Aveley take on Potters Bar the ground is playing host to FC Romania versus Grays Athletic- this match kicking off at 11AM. Faversham Town entertain Hackney Wick of the Eastern Counties league, whilst Felixstowe and Walton United bring Walthamstow (formerly Leyton Pennant and Waltham Forest) to the seaside. Great Wakering Rovers entertain Leyton Athletic (also from Walthamstow, hope you’re keeping up), whilst Greenwich Borough host Lancing of the Southern Combination, conquerors of Haywards Heath Town in the last round.

Haringey Borough will hope for another great cup run, and start by entertaining Stanway Rovers, who currently sit bottom of the Essex Senior League with a goal difference of -8 after two matches, whilst Hastings United take on VCD Athletic at Pilot Field.

Maldon & Tiptree travel to Haverhill Rovers, fifteenth in the Eastern Counties Premier, whilst Hertford Town take on Tilbury and Maldon’s neighbours, last years cup heroes Heybridge Swifts, start a new campaign by bringing West Essex of Dagenham to Scraley Road.

Hythe Town entertain Worthing United, and this is likely to be a rather poignant occasion, as it is three years ago this week that United players Matt Grimstone and Jacob Schilt lost their lives in the Shoreham Air Disaster whilst on the way to play for the Mavericks.

Marlow travel to Kidlington- bottom of Southern League Division One Central, whilst Molesey renew acquaintance with Lewes and South Central Division leaders Hanwell Town travel to North Leigh, also of Southern League Division One Central, and who are currently in eighth place. Northwood host Longlevens, of Gloucestershire and the Hellenic League. Ramsgate are at home to Chatham Town, whilst Sevenoaks Town face Bedfont Sports and Sittingbourne bring Bearstead to Woodstock Park.

Ware travel to the seaside, as they face Clacton, who won a replay against Kirkley & Pakefield in midweek to get this far, whilst Three Bridges entertain Phoenix Sports. Waltham Abbey host Bury Town, whilst Whyteleafe will face a stern test against unbeaten SCFL side Saltdean United.

Sunday

Two of our sides are involved in FA Cup ties on Sunday. Ashford Town travel to Cray Valley PM, currently fifth in the Southern Counties East Premier and who have scored twelve goals in their last three matches, whilst Romford, in second place in the North Division, host Baldock Town of the Spartan South Midlands Premier Division. Baldock currently sit fifteenth after one victory and two defeats in their first three league matches.

For lots of marvellous FA Cup facts and figures, you might like to visit FA Cup Factfile. There is truly no better place for FA Cup stats. If it happened in the FA Cup, and Phil doesn't know about it, it isn't worth knowing!