Romford face a tricky trip to Hampshire against a side who are currently third in their respective league and will go second if they win their game in hand. In their league fixtures at Testwood Park they have won 5 and drawn 1 and underlined their form at home in the first qualifying round by smashing AFC Hayes 5-0 and in the preliminary round beating Yate Town 3-0. The Stags are due to move from Testwood Park to a new stadium in the near future so it'll be a chance for The Boro fans to tick off a ground which will soon be demolished.
Grays Athletic have what looks to be an easier draw than Romford when Cinderford Town visit on Sunday afternoon. They are in 15th place in their league and have needed a replay against Hungerford Town and Mangotsfield Town to get through to this stage. However having said this, The Foresters make the long trip to Essex from Gloucestershire with some good away form being unbeaten in five league and cup matches with a 0-1 win at Atherstone Town in the Red Insure Cup this midweek.
Thamesmead Town who moved 2nd in the league on Wednesday night following their 1-2 success at Waltham Forest, travel to the Kent coast to play a Folkestone Invicta side lucking near the bottom of the Premier Division with only two league wins all season. Nigel Culley's side beat Worthing in the 1st qualifying round to get through to this stage but with The Mead in good form of late it's going to be a close game. The Mead scored two late goals in the match at Cricklefields having been 1-0 down until 17 minutes from time.
AFC Sudbury host Hendon who got through to the first round proper of the FA Cup with their 0-2 win at Met Police on Wednesday night. AFC have only lost once in the league at home and have beaten Ryman South Mertsham and Ryman Premier Canvey Island already in the Trophy this season. Nicky Smiths side's form has been slightly topsy turvy this season so far but his squad is well capable of giving the visiting Middlesex side a good game and possibly cause an upset.
Top of the table Harlow Town will be eager to cause a shock against Carshalton Athletic at Barrows Farm. Athletic missed out on a place in the First Round of the FA Cup on Monday night going out to Blue Sqaure South Chelmsford City so will not be wanting to exit another cup competition in Essex on Saturday.
Elsewhere in the draw Ryman Premier Horsham and Division One (South) Dulwich Hamlet face mammoth journeys to Truro City and Bideford AFC respectively. The South Londoners are looking at round trip of just under 500 miles with Horsham going a little further with a return journey of roughly 530 miles. What a day out for the Hornet and Hamlet fans to enjoy and I'm sure some of them will be making a weekend of it down in Devon and Cornwall. Let's hope the sun shines for them. The cold end has visited Bideford's ground when on holiday earlier this year and can confirm it's very nice indeed. As you can see from the pictures (note for Mrs Cold End - it was worth stopping and getting excited about!!) the floodlights dominate the skyline as you drive into the Town and brought back memories for me of Southbury Road.
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| One of the stands at Bideford |
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| Evoking memories of Southbury Road - The Floodlights at Bideford |
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| The other stand at Bideford AFC |
Skybet.com are offering odds for all the Trophy games with Enfield Town rated at 3/1 under-dogs (everyone loves one!!) to win at Tonbridge Angels who are 4/6 favourites. A draw is rated at 11/4. The cold end thinks the best value for money is the 13/8 on offer for Thamesmead Town to win at Folkestone Invicta
FA TROPHY FIXTURE LIST FEATURING RYMAN DIVISION ONE (NORTH) SIDES
SATURDAY
AFC SUDBURY V HENDON
AFC TOTTON V ROMFORD
FOLKESTONE INVICTA V THAMESMEAD TOWN
HARLOW TOWN V CARSHALTON ATHLETIC
TONBRIDGE ANGELS V ENFIELD TOWN
SUNDAY
GRAYS ATHLETIC V CINDERFORD TOWN
There are a seven Ryman North games on Saturday with six of the top ten in action. Without a win Waltham Forest entertain Needham Market in a game the Suffolk side on form should win by 2 or 3 goals. Heybridge Swifts are also on the road travelling to Potters Bar Town who came back from the dead on Tuesday night. With just four minutes remaining Redbridge were 0-2 up but thanks to goals from Jose Espinosa and Tom Pett the Scholars snatched a point from the jaws of defeat. Wayne Bond's side can make it another change at the top of the league with a victory or a Needham Market win coupled with Swift's draw or loss will see the Suffolk side take to the summit as they have a better goal-difference than Harlow Town.
Another interesting match is Ware, who went down 3-2 at Maldon & Tiptree on Tuesday night, travelling to face Great Wakering Rovers who won again against Tilbury in mid-week. Maldon played some the match with only 9 men but still managed to hold out for a valuable win against Tony Faulkner's side. M&T have another home game versus Waltham Abbey who made a very gutsy come back at Wingate on Tuesday night. The Abbots were 3-1 down but thanks to two late goals (one in injury time) secured a well earned point. Wingate & Finchley host Leyton and should be too strong for the East London visitors. Dave Norman's squad will likely to be wanting to put right the draw (which to use a cliche may have felt like a defeat) against Abbey and can move ominously towards the top of the league with a convincing win.
RYMAN NORTH FIXTURE LIST
East Thurrock United VS Ilford
Great Wakering Rovers VS Ware
Maldon & Tiptree VS Waltham Abbey
Potters Bar Town VS Heybridge Swifts
Tilbury VS Brentwood Town
Waltham Forest VS Needham Market
Wingate & Finchley VS Leyton
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