It's a huge weekend in the non-league calendar as the Fourth Qualifying Round of the Emirates FA Cup takes place with clubs just one win away from a potential money spinning tie which could possibly be in front of television cameras with a large crowd present against a League One club such as Portsmouth, Bolton Wanderers, Derby County, Blackpool or Charlton Athletic to name a few.
FIXTURES
Bracknell Town v Dagenham & Redbridge - 12.30 Live on BBC
Scarborough Athletic v Oxford City
Altrincham v Oldham Athletic
FC Halifax Town v Marine
Worksop Town v Boston United
AFC Fylde v Leek Town
Hereford v Rochdale AFC
York City v Needham Market
Solihull Moors v Biggleswade Town
Chesterfield v Kettering Town
Alfreton Town v Macclesfield
Hartlepool United v Chester
Chelmsford City v Whitby Town
Curzon Ashton v Tamworth
Kidderminster Harriers v Ashton United
Stourbridge v Gateshead
Aldershot Town v Lewes
Torquay United v Maidstone United
AFC Totton v Ramsgate
Aveley v Barnet
Hemel Hempstead Town v Woking
Horsham v Dorking Wanderers
Eastleigh v Dover Athletic
Yeovil Town v Southend United
Bromley v Wealdstone
Weston Super Mare v Maidenhead United
Braintree Town v Chesham United
Worthing v Bath City
Boreham Wood v Welling United
Cray Valley Paper Mills v Enfield Town
Ebbsfleet United v Slough Town
Billericay Town v Sheppey United
Being an Enfield Town fan it's a massive game at Cray Valley Paper Mills as the club look to qualify for the First Round Proper for the first time in it's history.
Many Town fans of a certain age fondly recall trips to Chesterfield, Preston North End, Peterborough United, York City, Cardiff City, Aldershot and Torquay United in the 1990s with the old Enfield FC along with the famous Cup run of the the 1980/81 season when The E's were beaten by Barnsley in the Fourth Round Proper replay in front of 35,244 at White Hart Lane.
Many people not in the know will immediately mark down Town as big favourites for the game as it's a Step 4 v Step 3 affair but I think it's far from that as The Millers, with former Carshalton Athletic and Tonbridge Angels boss Steve McKimm in charge, have a very impressive squad with many players who have played at a higher level. In 20/21 they got to the First Round Proper where they lost narrowly at Havant & Waterlooville.
CRAY VALLEY PM EMIRATES FA CUP RUN 23/24
PRE - Lordswood D 1-1 (117)
PRE r - LORDSWOOD W 4-1 (163)
1st QR - Uxbridge W 3-0 (124)
2nd QR - Northwood D 2-2 (159)
2nd QRr - NORTHWOOD W 4-3 (132)
3rd QR - Carshalton Athletic D 3-3 (543)
3rd QRr - CARSHALTON ATHLETIC W 2-1 (193)
CRAY VALLEY FA CUP SCORERS - 19 GOALS
(2.71 GOALS PER GAME)
KYRELL LISBIE 5
FREDDIE PARKER 4
MICHAEL ADEMILUYI 2
MATTHEW VIGAR 2
ADAM COOMBES 2
ARTHER LEE
CEM TUMKAYA
SONNY BLACK
DENZEL GAYLE
ENFIELD TOWN FA CUP RUN 23/24
1st QR - POTTERS BAR TOWN W 3-0 (555)
2nd QR - FELIXSTOWE & WALTON UTD W 3-0 (504)
3rd QR - Halesowen Town W 2-1 (1,130)
FA CUP SCORERS
(2.67 GOALS PER GAME)
MARCUS WYLIE 2
SAM YOUNGS 2
JOE PAYNE 2
OLLY KNIGHT
JAMES RICHMOND
CRAY VALLEY PLAYERS TO LOOK OUT FOR
Kyrell Lisbie is wide forward player who made two appearances for The Millers towards the end of the 20/21 season when hbe came on as a substitute for his father Kevin (former Charlton Athletic, Ipswich Town and Leyton Orient striker) in a London Senior Cup tie at Glebe and also featured in the semi-final against AFC Wimbledon. The 19 year old then went in to play in the West Ham United and Watford academy teams before making seven appearances for Essex Senior League side Woodford Town at the start of the 22/23 season which he finished with Vanarama National side Welling United. He has scored 8 goals in 13 league and cup games for The Millers this season. His twin brother Kyreece is currently playing for Brentford 'B'.
Striker Adam Coombes began his career with Chelsea in the academy and as a full time professional from 2010 to 2013. He was capped at u16 and u17 level for England and is remembered for scoring for Notts County in their League Cup tie at Anfield against Liverpool in 2013. He has since played for Welling United, Billericay Town, Bromley, Sutton United and Tonbridge Angels amongst other clubs. He has also netted 8 goals in 11 league and cup games this season for The Millers who he signed for in the summer of 2022.
Freddie Parker is another striker with 8 goals to his name this season (13 games) - Now 22, he started his career for in the Millwall academy going on to play for Cray Wanderers, Whitstable Town, Lewes, Barking and Sevenoaks Town.
The majority of their squad has playing experience higher than their current step 4 status including defender Arthur Lee (Tonbridge Angels, Hendon and AFC Hornchurch), Matt Vigar (Crystal Palace Academy & Carshalton Athletic) and Michael Ademiluyi (Haringey Borough, Cray Wanderers & Bowers & Pitsea).
Midfielder Lyle Della-Verde left Enfield Town in the summer and joined Cray Valley PM but hasn't featured for The Millers since the end of August.
ENFIELD TOWN PLAYERS TO LOOK OUT
Striker Marcus Wylie is a real fan's favourite at Donkey Lane, He joined the Town in the summer of 2022 having scored 35 goals in 49 games for step 5 side Risborough Rangers in the 21/22 season. He found game time hard to come by last season being mostly used from the bench on the wing but new Manager Gavin MacPherson started him as a striker which has saw him score 8 goals in 11 league and cup games. The 24 year old has recently signed a contract to keep him with Enfield Town until the end of the current campaign.
Midfielder Sam Youngs has scored 6 goals in 11 league and cup games. He has been with Town since 2017 and is another fan's favourite - He previously played for Chesham United, Redditch United, Rugby Town and Banbury United.
Gavin MacPherson had a big job on replacing departing goalkeeper Nathan McDonald in the summer who had made over 250 appearance across two spells with the North London club. Rhys Foster has joined who helped Ascot United win the Isuzu FA Vase last season and has also played for Met Police, Slough Town, Maidenhead United and Hampton & Richmond Borough. He has been ever present for the club this season and made amazing saves in the last round at Halesowen Town to help Town get through.
Cray Valley have played 14 league and cup games so far this season and have yet to lose a game scoring 44 goals and letting in 19.
Town have played 11 games scoring 23 and letting in 12 with 2 defeats. Their only league defeat came 0-3 at home to Carshalton Athletic who went on to lose to Cray Valley PM in both the FA Cup and FA Trophy.
The game takes place at The Badgers Sports Ground in Eltham on Saturday with a kick off of 3pm.
The Pitching In Isthmian League is represented by two other South-East Division sides in Ramsgate (away at Southern Premier Central side AFC Totton) and Sheppey United who travel to Premier Division side Billericay Town. Other Premier Division sides in action as Lewes travelling to Aldershot Town and Horsham hosting Dorking Wanderers - Tickets for this game at The Camping World Community Stadium are SOLD OUT - A huge crowd is expected!!
I'd also like to wish Biggleswade Town a massive amount of good luck in their away game at Vanarama National League high flyer's Solihull Moors. The Southern League Division One Central side have beaten Wisbech Town, New Salamis, Bishop's Stortford and Barton Rovers to get to this stage. It's the second season in a row The Waders have got to this stage. The Moors have only lost one game this season which came in their last game when Aldershot Town recorded a 0-1 away win last Saturday.
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