It is FA Vase Quarter Finals weekend and there are still two Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division clubs with Wembley dreams.

Furthermore, Erith and Belvedere and Whitstable Town have avoided each other so dreams of emulating the Essex Senior League, who had two clubs in the final last season, remain alive. 

To get to this point, Erith and Belvedere have had a string of tight matches. In the first qualifying round they visited Godalming Town and progressed on penalties after a goal-less draw. They then avoided sudden death against Frimley Green when Freddie Baker scored the only goal with thirteen minutes remaining.

Having got through the qualifying rounds they hosted Wallingford and Crowmarsh in the First Round and again required penalties after the visitors cancelled out Rob Curtis’ goal and another shoot-out was needed in the Second Round after a nil-nil draw at Bearsted.

In the third Round they claimed a stunning one-nil win at Faversham Town thanks to a goal by Tyller Davis-Whitlock ten minutes from time. That was followed by yet another penalties success after Tommy Whitnell scored in a one-one draw at White Ensign. 

Then, incredibly they ended another match level when they hosted Daventry Town. Baker and Nathan Palmer were on target but a very late equaliser meant another shoot-out, which they won four-two. They are on their travels on Saturday with a tough trip to Hartpury University who are based in a village just outside Gloucester.

Also starting away, Whitstable Town were one down to Corinthian-Casuals at the break before Josh Oliver levelled and Harvey Smith scored a late hat-trick. Mike West then scored the only goal as the Oystermen hosted and beat Hollands and Blair. 

Another one-nil home win saw off Virginia Water, with Oliver the scorer, before they hosted Lydd Town in the second round. Smith put them ahead but the visitors levelled midway through the second half. A shoot-out looked on the cards but an own goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time saw Whitstable through.

Again, they were at home in the third round when beating Jersey Bulls two-one. They were one down with six minutes remaining but Oliver levelled from the spot. Two minutes later, Nico Grierson scored to send Jamie Coyle’s team through, and on a trip to Walsham Le Willows. On this occasion they got a taste of their own medicine when conceding a late equaliser to Ronald Sithole’s opener. They held their nerve, though, and went through on penalties. 

Once more they were at home in their last sixteen match when they hosted Fleet Town. There were no goals in the first half, and it looked like plain sailing when Jayden Boulton and Mikey Dalton put them two up early in the second period. However, Fleet pulled one back with just over fifteen minutes remaining to give Whitstable a nervy ending to the match. They now host Whitchurch Alport.

Should the two SCEFL clubs progress, it would be fantastic for the league and for the Kent F.A., to whom they are affiliated.