Who will be our Trophy heroes?

By Ian Townsend

We've got seven teams in action in the FA Trophy Third Round this afternoon. We know we'll have at least two in the Fourth Round draw- but could it be five? Here's our preview.

We know we’ll have at least two sides in the Fourth Round of the FA Trophy, as four of our Pitching In Isthmian clubs play each other. We also know that the first two are well matched, as they sit in fourth and fifth place in our top flight. Cheshunt and Bishop’s Stortford are having fine seasons. The Ambers are fourteen matches unbeaten across all competitions, and of course knocked out National League South opposition in the last round, defeated Chelmsford City away from home; whilst the Blues unbeaten run is even better, if only just- fifteen matches so far. They’ve defeated Lewes and Leiston to get to this stage.

Another set of giantkillers are in action today, as Cray Wanderers host Dartford. The Wands defeated Ebbsfleet United in the last round, and the Darts are currently three points and two places higher than their National League South rivals, so Danny Kedwell’s men will perhaps have to do even better to earn another famous victory. Wands fans will recall the fact that the visitors, whilst top of their Division, departed that other famous knockout competition- the FA Cup- at the hands of our very own AFC Sudbury.

Enfield Town take a trip to Hampshire, where they will face Eastleigh. The Spitfires are in thirteenth place, and their form has slipped a little lately, with only one point- and no goals- from their last two matches. The Towners will have noted how close Folkestone Invicta came to knocking these opponents out of the FA Cup, and with Mo Faal in sparkling form- twenty three goals for the season and nine in his last five matches- anything can happen!

Our aforementioned stripey favourites, Invicta, host Pitching In Isthmian South Central hotshots Uxbridge. Invicta are in fine form, in second place in the Premier Division and with only one defeat in their last eight; whilst the visiting Red Army have already knocked out two higher-ranked clubs, National League Chippenham Town in the last round, and Walton Casuals- scoring six goals in the process- in the First Round. They travel on the back of a fourteen match unbeaten run.

Finally, Kingstonian are on the road to face National League Aldershot Town. The Shots might be in eighteenth place, but they are in their best form of the season, with four wins and a draw from their last five matches. The K’s have lost two of their last three, but that seems something of a blip, as they were in fine form prior to that, and have already defeated Farnborough, Royston Town and East Thurrock United in this competition.

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Where next?

Invicta and Cheshunt march on- whilst Casuals hit four We had a mixed day in the FA Trophy, but Corinthian-Casuals made it a momentous day for the club with a thumping win in the Pitching In Isthmian Premier. Here's our round up.
Kettle heads to Grays Athletic sign former Rock Elliot Kettle

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