The Magic of the cup is back next Saturday

What could be described as a plethora matches in the Isthmian League, SSML and FA Youth Cup are set to occur this mid-week which the cold end will cover in the coming days.

However, Next Saturday its the return of FA Cup magic with Enfield Town visiting the leafy Surrey suburbs to play Walton and Hersham at Stompond Lane in the eagerly awaited second qualifying round tie. The Swans have had a great start to their season in the Ryman Division One (South) under ex-Brighton & Hove Albion legend John Crumplin who was appointed in the hot-seat during the summer. Crumplin had been managing at various clubs in the Sussex County League achieving some success along the way. They are unbeaten in the league winning 3 and drawing 3 of their 6 matches to date. There cup run to date reads:

PRELIMINARY ROUND - FLEET TOWN (A) 1-1

PREMLMINARY ROUND (REPLAY) - FLEET TOWN (H) 2-2 *WON ON PENS

1ST QR - CRAY WANDERERS (H) 2-1

Beating Ryman Premier Cray Wanderers stands out as a great result. However, the Swans recent record in the cup doesn't make good reading. Last season they lost to Kent League Hythe Town in the Preliminary Round. The last time they reached the 'proper' rounds of the competition they lost at home 0-2 to Swansea City in 1994 in what could be described as a 'Swans derby'.

Older fans of Enfield FC will recall visiting Stompond Lane in the 90's on a few occasions when Walton yo-yo'ed between the Premier and Divsion One. Even older fans will recall matches during 70's and prior.
The cold end remembers a match under floodlights on Tuesday 14th February 1995 during Enfield's championship season. The match featured Brian Stein making his debut for the E's as a 3-1 win was recorded thanks to a Gary Abbott brace and John Bailey. 303 saw this match in which the Swan's defence featured soon to sign for Enfield Steve Terry.

A tough game is in prospect for the Town but the cold end is sure Steve and Del can get the boys up for this one as a win would generate more much needed prize money for the FA coffers.

Before this game supporters can take a look to the future when the Town youth team play in the FA Youth Cup at home to Northwood at Goldsdown Road on Tuesday night.

OTHER RYMAN NORTH CLUBS IN CUP ACTION

Including Town there are 7 of the 21 Ryman North clubs who entered remaining in the world's best competition. The other ties are the table topping Trawler Boys entertain seventh placed in the Unibond League Premier Boston United at Crown Field in a match which is sure to attract a four figure attendance, 2nd placed East Thurrock United take a tough looking trip to Conference South Welling United. Potters Bar Town welcome Ryman South Whitstable Town to the South Mimms Travel Stadium. Concord travel to play Slough Town whilst Heybridge Swifts welcome Ryman Premier Canvey Island (who sneaked through in a last round replay versus Hitchin Town)to Scraley Road. In the last tie Wingate & Finchely welcome Aylesbury FC (not the Ducks) of the SSML. There is one other SSML side left in the competition where Harefield United entertain Maidstone United at Preston Park.

SSML FA VASE ROUND UP

The FA Vase 2nd Qualifying round got under way yesterday and it was mostly a good day for the Spartan teams in action. First Division beat Premier Divsion at McMullen Park with Bedford running out 2-1 versus Hanwell Town in front of a crowd of 38. Town's previous FA Cup opponents Leverstock Green got a good away win at Bicester Town, Biggleswade United got off to a great start beating Herts County league Codicote by 7 (seven) goals to nil. Brimsdown Rovers beat top of the table Colney Heath at the Golsdown 4-2, Ricci Crace got two goals. Cockfosters who "lost" in the last round beat Bucks Student Union 3-1 at Chalk Lane whilst Hoddesdon Town thanks to Richard Howard (2) and Lee Toombs (2) won 4-3 versus Oxhey Jets, London Colney continued there good cup form winning at the Copthall stadium versus Kentish Town 3-2. Kingsbury London Tigers won a cracker of a match 5-4 versus Essex Senior League Takeley, Impressive Latvian striker Renars Zarchenko who the cold end saw score versus Harlow in the FA Cup bagged a hat-trick. If the town need another striker at any point this season the cold end recommends Steve and Del take a trip to Silver Jubilee Park to run the rule over Zarchenko. Langford who had a torrid start in the league this season are improving and put out Hertford Town out by 1-0 at Forde Park, Royston Town easily beat London APSA at the Terrance McMillan stadium which is a mere stones throw from Upton Park where The Irons played Liverpool. Stansted flew out of Tring into the next round thanks to an athletic 4-3 victory and finally Wembley beat St Margeretsbury 1-0 at Vale Farm.

The cold end's new northern team Atherton Collieries lost by single goal in South Yorkshire with home side Rossington Main victorious at Oxford Street.

Finally, spare a thought for Poor old Prestwood FC in the Hellinec League Divsion One (East) whose record reads 9 losses from 9 games. Last week they were thrashed 13-0 at home to Holyport and yesterday they lost by the same scoreline at Didcot Town Reserves. They travel to Pitstone and Ivanghoe next Saturday in the Berks and Bucks Intermediate Cup where the home side can be forgiven about thinking they are confident of their passage through to the next round.