The Second round proper of the FA Vase IS played this weekend with a handful of SSMFL and ESL teams left in the competition.
Hadley who are riding high in 2nd place of the SSMFL Division One who have beaten fellow SSMFL sides Harpenden Town and Leverstock Green to get to this stage visit Eastern Counties League Premier side Stanway Rovers. Rovers are in fourth place in the league scoring 44 goals in 17 league matches whereas Hadley one step below them in the football Pyramid have scored 29 times in 15 league games. Hadley are debutants in the competition this season so will find it hard travelling to seasoned Vase campaingers Stanway. Rovers were knocked out in the fourth round last season in a replay defeat versus UCL St Ives Town, In the 07/08 season they went to the 5th round where they lost at home to Coventry Sphinx (1-3). Stanway's top scorer this season is Sam Newson who has scored an incredible 24 times in 18 league and cup games, Last season he hit the back of the net 44 times in 45 games and the season prior 26 times in 40 appearances. His twin brother Ben also plays for the team. The 21 year old has played as a youth at Ipswich Town and with his impressive goal ratio must be destined to play at a higher level. VERDICT - Hats off to Hadley for getting to the Second Round in their first season but only a home win can be seen at this game.
There are only three Essex Senior League sides left in the Vase this year. On Saturday, Stansted travel to Long Buckby and on Sunday Tiptree United entertain Cogenhoe United and Enfield 1893 FC travel to play Cambridge Regional College (aka CRC) of the Eastern Counties Premier.
It's a tough game in prospect for the Goffs Lane club as CRC are 3rd in the table and go 2nd if they win their game in hand. They have also only lost 2 games in their league and cup competitions all season being unbeaten since 15th August. They have beaten Huntingdon Town, Brantham Athletic and March Town United (thrashed 7-1) to get to this stage. Since the defeat to Kings Lynn Reserves on the 15th August they have won 19 and drawn 2 of their 21 games. VERDICT - Anything but a home win will be a shock.
The airportmen travel to UCL side Long Buckby who are 4th in the Premier Divsion at present. Stansted have beaten Wivenhoe Town and Tring Athletic to get to this stage of the competition. VERDICT - Long Buckby have played 7 home league game winning six and loosing one scoring 24 goals and letting in 11. Stansted have won two out of six on their travels in the league. Should be a home win.
Its ESL V UCL once more on Sunday in a food related derby when The Jam Makers of Tiptree entertain The Cooks of Cogenhoe. United in their first season in the ESL are having a mediocre one in mid-table, whereas the travelling Northamptonshire outfit have won 5 of their 10 away league games and are sitting near to the top of the UCL Premier. Tiptree have beaten Barkingside and Halstead to get to this stage and Cogenhoe have been exempt up until round 2. Last season they got to the 4th round loosing to Bitton and Tiptree went out at this stage loosing 2-0 to semi-finalists Lowestoft Town. VERDICT - Too close to call, Maybe a draw, replay and penalties at Compton Park in midweek.
Biggleswade United travel to ECL Kirkley and Pakefield on the Suffolk coast having won their last two matches versus Aylesbury and Harefield United. Biggleswade are near the foot of the SSMFL but these two victories show they are better than their league position. The Royals are having a good season and sit 5th in the ECL premier. They haven't beaten fellow ECL teams Walsham-Le-Willows and Newmarket Town to get to this stage. Walmer Road is somewhat of a fortress for K&P, Out of the 12 home league and cup games they have played they have won 10 drawn 1 and lost 1 scoring 35 goals and letting in only 3. What makes this statistic even more impressive is the 3 times the home net has been breached all occured in one 0-3 defeat to Dereham Town. VERDICT - Biggleswade to fight all the way but can only see a home win (just)SSMFL Divison One side Bedford have already "giant killed" Hanwell Town and Burnham Ramblers on route to their trip to Needham Market. Needham are 2nd in the ECL Premier and have only lost twice this season to table toppers Leiston and in the FA Cup to Sutton Coldfield Town who ran Lowestoft Town close in the next round. They have won 10 of their last 11 league and cup games. VERDICT - Another home win for the Eastern Counties League.. Anything else will be a shock
Royston Town in good form in their returning season to the SSMFL Premier travel to UCL Premier Wellingborough Town who are lurking near the foot of the table. VERDICT - Royston to be triumphant in Northamptonshire.
Chalfont St Peter who maybe had gone closer to the SSMFL title last year had it not been for their fixture congestion due to their Vase run to the Semi-Final where they were so unluckily and cruely beaten on penalties by Glossop North End begin their vase campaign with a home tie versus Peacehaven and Telscombe. The Saints welcome The Tyes to Mill Meadow not in the best of form. Since they thrashed Kentish Town 7-1 on the 17th October their form in league and cup reads - LLLLLL. VERDICT - P&T are 5th in the Sussex County Premier and with the home sides poor form could pull off a "shock" win.
Brimsdown Rovers hose Divsion One London Colney and will be looking to get one step closer to Wembley on Sunday. Rovers have been steadily moving up the league since a disapointing start with the squad they have assembled. Current form is - WWDWWWLWWD. They gained a creditable draw at Aylesbury on Tuesday night. Colney have beaten two teams from one step higher than them on their way to the 2nd round in Kentish Town and Bethnal Green United. Their current from reads- WWWLWWWWLDWL and they run Ryman Premier Aveley close in the FA Cup before going out in a replay so they obviously like Cup matches against higher league teams. VERDICT - Brimsdown to win in a close game with Ricci Crace on the scoresheet.
The last SSMFL Division One side left is Hoddesdon Town who also play on Sunday travelling to Combined Counties Premier Division side Wembley. Hoddesdon winners of the first FA Vase have "giant" killed Clapton, Oxhey Jets and Witham Town so far to get to this stage and come into this game in good form winning their last four matches scoring 14 and letting in 6 goals. The Lions are bottom on the CCL Premier and won their first game since the beginning of October on Tuesday night beating Enfield 1893 in the Middlesex Senior Cup. They seem to have put their dissapointing league form when playing in the Vase beating Wooton BC, St Margaretsbury and Langford so far. VERDICT - Close but Hoddesdon Town will continue on the road to Wembley in the shadow of the national stadium.
Fixtures involving SSMFL and ESL sides
SATURDAY
Stanway Rovers V Hadley
Long Buckby V Stansted
Kirkley and Pakefield V Biggleswade United
Needham Market V Beford
Wellingborough Town V Royston Town
Chalfont St Peter V Peacehaven and Telscombe
SUNDAY
Brimsdown Rovers V London Colney
CRC V Enfield 1893
Tiptree United V Cogenhoe United
Wembley V Hoddesdon
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