Up for the Cup!

We start our FA Cup preview at AFC Sudbury, who welcome North Division rivals Stowmarket Town. The Yellows have six points from six so far, whilst Stow lost their second league match at Lowestoft in midweek after starting the campaign with a victory. The two met last season in the FA Cup- albeit two rounds further on- the Yellows winning after a replay and continuing on a run which took them to the First Round. Town got revenge in the league, however, winning both matches.

Ashford Town (Middx) entertain South Central rivals Northwood. The Woods have six points from six and indeed three wins from three this season, whilst the Tangerines have one point from their two matches but put eight goals past Saltdean United in the last round. Last season saw both sides defeat the other away from home.

Barton Rovers of Pitching In Southern Division One Central are the hosts for Hashtag United, who got back to winning ways when defeating East Thurrock United on Monday night; whilst top of the Pitching In Isthmian South East Beckenham Town, who have scored three goals in each of their three matches so far this season, renew acquaintances with K Sports, conquerors of Whitehawk in the last round.

Brantham Athletic are the hosts for Witham Town. Athletic knocked out Basildon United in the last round, but have lost both of their Eastern Counties League matches so far. Town were narrowly defeated by AFC Sudbury in midweek, but scored nine goals in their two previous matches.

Brentwood Town will be looking to start a winning streak after only one point from their first two games. Harlow Town arrive at the Arena having played only one match this season, a three-three draw with Aylesbury United.

Burgess Hill Town have started the campaign with two narrow defeats, and will hope that the visit of Stansfeld of Southern Counties East League Premier might change their fortunes. Their opponents defeated Wembley in the last round, and will undoubtedly be singing about going there again!

Bury Town welcome Newmarket Town. Bury haven’t yet conceded a goal in their three matches this season, whilst The Jockeys of the Thurlow Nunn League defeated Eynesbury Rovers in the last round.

Chichester City welcome Knaphill, having defeated Frimley Green comprehensively in the last round. Chi remain unbeaten, whilst Knaphill, of the Combined Counties Premier, have won their last two matches- including a comprehensive win at Alfold in the last round.

Colliers Wood United are the hosts for Chatham Town. United have had a fine start to their Combined Counties season, winning every game, and of course also defeated our very own Faversham Town in the last round. The Chats, coincidentally, also defeated Faversham last time out, so this could be a tough match for both sides.

Corinthian haven’t yet picked up a point but came as close as possible to doing so at beckenham Town in midweek. They welcome another Combined Counties side, Guildford City, who defeated Broadfields United in the last round nut have lost both of their league matches so far.

Dereham Town- and it remains peculiar not to be writing about them as one of our own- welcome Felixstowe & Walton United. The Magpies knocked our Wroxham in the last round with a goal from the half way line, and have drawn both of their matches in their new League. The Seasiders have four points from six, and took six points from the Magpies last season.

Erith Town are the hosts for Bedfont Sports. Our visitors are yet to score this season and consequently have only one point, whilst their hosts are fourteenth in the SCEFL Premier, with one win and two defeats from three.

FC Clacton welcome East Thurrock United to the seaside. The Rocks have suffered two defeats in the first two league matches, but were rather unlucky to experience defeat at hashtag United on Monday night if the highlights are to be believed. Their hosts are on a good run, with three consecutive wins.

Fisher, who defeated Sutton Common Rovers in the last round, welcome Sittingbourne. The Brickies looked fabulous in pre-season but need a result to kick start their campaign, after taking only one point from their first two matches.

Glebe of the SCEFL renew acquaintances with Cray Valley PM. The hosts drew two-two with Phoenix Sports in midweek, and are in good form, scoring four goals in each of their previous two games. The Millers picked up their first win in midweek, and will be dreaming about a repeat of their FA Cup run in 2020-21, when they made it all the way to the First Round and defeated National League Maidenhead United on the way.

Hanworth Villa and Chertsey Town meet in another all Pitching In Isthmian South Central clash. The Villains have started the campaign with two draws and an FA Cup win, over Abbey Rangers; whilst the Curfews have four points from their two matches.

Hassocks -think of a miniature Dripping Pan with home-made cake- welcome Uxbridge to The Beacon. The SCFL Robins have won their last three matches and will be confident as another Red Army arrives in Sussex, whilst Uxbridge have taken four points from their two matches so far. Two of the last three seasons have seen the hosts depart against a South Central side, so Uxbridge will hope to join Bedfont Sports and Chipstead on that list. We’ll be covering the match- see a report here not too long after the final whistle.

Ipswich Wanderers welcome Gorleston. The visitors have lost both of their League matches by three goals to two, but had a good start in the cup, walloping Biggleswade United four-nil. Wanderers, of the Eastern Counties League, are unbeaten so far- two draws and one win.

Kidlington are ready to host the Moles, who have promised not to dig the pitch up. Binfield have taken four points from six and drew with much-fancied Chertsey Town in midweek. Their hosts, of Pitching In Southern Division One Central, lost to Aylesbury United in midweek, but had won both games prior to that result.

Lancing picked up a well-deserved point at Haywards Heath Town in midweek, and were impressive in their narrow defeat against Beckenham Town last weekend, having twice been ahead. They welcome East Grinstead Town, a side they took four points from last season, after defeating Roffey four-nil in the Extra Preliminary Round. The Wasps have played three matches so far this season, each one finishing one-nil- on two occasions in their favour.

Leatherhead really haven’t had the start to the campaign they’d have expected, with two defeats, whilst the same can be said about opponents Haywards Heath Town, who have taken only one point from their two matches. Will this tie spark one of them into form? After midweek defeat to South Park Reigate, the Tanners probably don’t want us to mention Sparks!

Lymington Town, on the beautiful Dorset coast, don’t play host to Basingstoke Town- instead Stoke travel to beautiful New Forest town Brockenhurst for the match. Look out for wandering ponies and donkeys, and be careful you don’t trip on the cattle grid at the entrance to the ground! Basingstoke will hope to pick up their first win of the season and bounce back from their hiding at the hands of Westfield in midweek, whilst their hosts have lost both of their Pitching In Division One South matches this season, their only victory coming in the previous round of the cup, against Portland United. They did manage to only lose two-one to Westfield in pre-season, mind you.

Maldon & Tiptree look to get their season on track after two defeats, as they welcome Harpenden Town. Their visitors knocked fellow Pitching In Isthmian North side New salamis out of the competition in the last round.

Marlow welcome Thame United, and the BBC, to the Alfred Davis Memorial Ground. The hosts came within a whisker of a perfect start to the season, conceding a late, late equaliser to Thatcham Town in midweek, whilst their Pitching In Southern Division One Central opponents have a win and a defeat from their opening two fixtures. The match kicks off at 1230 and will be on the iPlayer.

Merstham and Sevenoaks Town meet at Moatside. The hosts are stil looking for their first Pitching In Isthmian South Central victory, whilst the visitors defeated Horley Town by five goals in the last round and won their only league match so farm, against Three Bridges, by a single goal. They seem to like taking on sides from the Gatwick area!

Punjab United of the SCEFL are the hosts for our Pitching In South Central leaders Westfield. The Woking side have played three matches so far this season, scored ten goals, and conceded none. Bradley Walsh has already scored four goals, Nathaniel Mensah has three- and as those neither of those players are strikers it’s perhaps time the forward line stepped up! United have lost their last two matches, after winning their first two.

Raynes Park Vale of the Combined Counties League are the hosts for Hythe Town. The Cannons have won both of their matches so far without conceding a goal, whilst vale have defeated every opponent they’ve faced so far this season, scoring four in both of their league matches and despatching Erith & Belvedere in the Cup.

Rusthall welcome Ramsgate for a Kent derby. The hosts are top of the SCEFL and have won every match this season, scoring fifteen goals in the process, so should prove a test for our Rams, who have yet to concede a goal.

Sheppey United, fresh from scoring six goals in their Cup replay in midweek, welcome Newhaven to the island. The visitors came close to promotion from the SCFL last season, losing to Lancing in a promotion/relegation play off, and defeated AFC Uckfield Town five-nil in midweek. They also won their FA Cup replay against Canterbury City TEN-nil on August 10th.

Stotfold play host to Grays Athletic. Four matches unbeaten, the hosts defeated FA Vase winners Newport Pagnell in the last round; whilst Athletic have yet to concede a goal in Pitching In isthmian North.

Sutton Athletic welcome Ashford United. Athletic are unbeaten in the SCEFL, and have won both of their home matches this season. Because of a pitch issue the Nuts and Bolts have only played once, but they did win that one, at Burgess Hill Town last weekend.

Three Bridges welcome Deal Town, who have a one hundred percent record in all competitions so far this season, with four victories, and sit second in the SCEFL. Bridges notched their first victory when defeating VCD Athletic two-nil in midweek.

Tooting & Mitcham United welcome VCD Athletic to Imperial Fields. Athletic started with a win over Haywards Heath Town prior to that defeat at Bridges, whilst the Terrors defeated Cobham in the last round but are still waiting for their first league victory.

Waltham Abbey welcome old rivals Tilbury. The Abbotts have lost both of their opening matches in Pitching In Southern Division One Central, but did defeat Woodford Town four-one in the last round of the competition; whilst the Dockers have had a good start to the season, defeating Milton Keynes Irish and Maldon & Tiptree before allowing a late equaliser to rob them of three points against Basildon United in midweek.

Finally, Walton & Hersham welcome Littlehampton Town to the Sports Hub. The Swans defeated Kennington four-nil in a last round replay, and have scored twelve goals in their four matches so far- although they have conceded seven., including four in a four-three defeat at Marlow. The Golds fell to defeat against Whitehawk in midweek, but did defeat Broadbridge Heath and Faversham Town in their previous two matches.

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