Weather permitting, this weekend will see the FA Vase reach the last-32 stage, having commenced on 6th September with 536 clubs.
Incredibly, out of the 32 clubs, FIVE remain from the Southern Counties East League, all hoping for an appearance in the Final at Wembley on 9th May.
This season’s competition is potentially the most open for years, as a number of the teams who would be considered favourites have been eliminated. Among the teams who’ve bowed out already are four from the traditionally strong Northern Premier League; Shildon, West Auckland Athletic, Whitley Bay and Tunbridge Wells’ conquerors in 2013, Spennymoor Town. Also departing were two reformed non-league giants; 1874 Northwich Victoria and AFC Rushden and Diamonds.
So what can the Fourth Round bring for the Kent clubs?
GREENWICH BOROUGH v AFC ST AUSTELL:
Arguably, Greenwich Borough face the hardest task of the four teams due to play on Saturday, facing a St Austell team who have won 22 consecutive games in all competitions. The side from Cornwall faces the longest journey of all in the Fourth Round; an imposing 550 mile round trip to Borough’s Princes Park, Dartford home.
St Austell, entering their 125th year, currently lie third in the Carlsberg South West Peninsula League which, at Step 10, is one level below the Southern Counties East in the League Pyramid. But, they are flying high, just 5 points off the league leaders, with an incredible SIX games in hand. Striker Liam Eddy is a man Borough will have to pay special attention to, with 31 goals from 31 games this season, as the free-scoring side from Cornwall have hit four or more in 11 games in their winning streak; also keeping 9 clean sheets.
Greenwich Borough’s 4-1 win on Wednesday night against Canterbury City has moved them up to 9th place in the League, the lowest placed of the Kent sides, but are on a run themselves that has seen just one defeat in the last 14 games. Ian Jenkins’ men have enjoyed their cup runs this season, having already made it to the Fourth Qualifying Round of the FA Cup, before falling 2-1 to Worcester City, who created their own piece of FA Cup history by beating Coventry City.
| Greenwich Borough | AFC St Austell |
| 1QR (A) Newhaven 6-2 | 1QR (H) Porthleven 8-1 |
| 2QR (A) Molesey 2-1 | 2QR walkover v Ilfracombe Town |
| 1R (H) Hailsham Town 7-1 | 1R (H) Saltash United 4-0 |
| 2R (A) Crawley Town Gatwick 3-1 | 2R (A) Folland Sports 3-2 |
| 3R (A) Horley Town 3-1 | 3R (H) Verwood Town 6-1 |
BODMIN TOWN v PHOENIX SPORTS:
As St Austell are travelling east, Phoenix Sports are facing the equally daunting journey down to Cornwall to face Bodmin Town. Bodmin are currently fourth in the Carlsberg South West Peninsula League, the second of only 5 Step 10 clubs at this stage, having been displaced from third by St Austell at New Year. They also possess a prolific striker, with Adam Carter claiming an impressive 37 goals in his 28 games this season, helping his side to just one defeat in the last 11 games.
Phoenix though, should be going to the West Country full of confidence having not lost a competitive game this season within normal time. The only defeat Sports have suffered was in the first Qualifying Round of the FA Cup on penalties to Deal Town. The unbeaten leaders of Southern Counties East go into the game with a defensive record that has seen just 7 goals conceded in their 18 league games to date.
| Phoenix Sports | Bodmin Town |
| 1QR (A) Croydon 3-3 (H) 1-0 (replay) | |
| 2QR (H) Lancing 1-0 | |
| 1R (A) Arundel 2-0 | |
| 2R (A) Erith Town 3-0 | 2R (H) St Blazey 5-2 |
| 3R (A) Alresford Town 2-1 | 3R (A) Buckland Athletic 4-1 |
ASHFORD UNITED v NORWICH UNITED:
Ashford will welcome the leaders of the Thurlow Nunn Eastern Counties League, Norwich United, to Homelands. Norwich have assembled an experienced squad, led by former Lowestoft defender Greg Crane, and containing a number of the Wroxham team who reached the Vase Final in 2010; including Wroxham’s scorer on that occasion, Paul Cook.
Norwich are nine points clear at the top of the Eastern Counties league, having won 18 and lost 2 of their 20 games, and have a twin strike threat in Matthew Blake (29 in 30 games) and Ben Thompson (17 in 28) for Ashford to worry about. The Norfolk side are currently on a run of nine consecutive victories; each of the last four with a clean sheet.
Ashford, lying fourth in the league, and unbeaten in their seven league games at Homelands, possess their own prolific striker in Stuart Zanone, who has hit 6 goals in his last two games; four against tenants Canterbury City, with two more in the 3-0 win over Deal. The Nuts and Bolts are unbeaten in their last 6 games.
| Ashford United | Norwich United |
| 2R (A) Hassocks 7-0 | 2R (H) AFC Kempston Rovers 2-1 |
| 3R (A) Littlehampton Town 3-3 (H) 2-1 (replay) | 3R (A) Tring Athletic 1-0 |
HIGHWORTH TOWN v TUNBRIDGE WELLS:
For the third round running, Tunbridge Wells are on the road; this time facing Highworth Town from the Uhlsport Hellenic League. Highworth are 8th in the Hellenic, 18 points off top spot but with 5 games in hand. Their main threat will come from TJ Bohane, who has followed up a 40-goal season in 2013/14 with a further 27 goals in 30 this season.
Beaten finalists in 2013, Tunbridge Wells will be able to call on the experience of Paul Booth for the first time in the Vase, and have beaten four out of five previous Hellenic opponents in Vase matches. Currently occupying fourth place in Southern Counties East, Tunbridge Wells are on an unbeaten run of 11 games that stretches back to 1st November 2014.
| Tunbridge Wells | Highworth Town |
| 2QR (H) Hartley Wintney 2-1 | |
| 1R (H) Rochester United 3-1 | 1R (A) Windsor 4-1 |
| 2R (A) Westfield 5-1 | 2R (H) Bridport 3-0 |
| 3R (A) AFC Portchester 1-0 | 3R (A) Blackfield & Langley 1-0 |
ERITH & BELVEDERE v YAXLEY:
The one FA Vase game being played on Sunday, at Park View Road, pits second placed Erith & Belvedere against “The Cuckoos” from Yaxley; currently third in the ChromaSport & Trophies United Counties League.
Yaxley have lost two of their last four games, both away from home, although did come from behind to earn a 2-1 win over Newport Pagnell Town last time out. They sit 10 points behind league leaders AFC Rushden and Diamonds, but only have 2 games in hand.
The Deres have won both of their games in 2015, scoring an impressive nine goals without conceding, with skipper Alfie May having scoring 31 goals in 28 games so far. A 4-0 win over Fisher in their last game will have filled the team with confidence, and saw Byron Walker score two, which was added to by Alan Matthews; who scored only his second goal in over 100 Deres’ matches.
| Erith & Belvedere | Yaxley |
| 1QR (H) Swaffham Town 2-0 | |
| 2QR (H) Sleaford Town 2-1 | |
| 1R (A) Eastbourne Town 2-1 | 1R (A) Godmanchester Rovers 0-0 (H) 4-0 (replay) |
| 2R (A) Horsham YMCA 2-1 | 2R (H) Fakenham Town 3-0 |
| 3R (A) Hanworth Villa 2-0 | 3R (A) Brantham Athletic 3-1 |