Buildbase FA Trophy First Round Preview

A look at the ties involving Southern Football League clubs.

We finally have details of when the Buildbase FA Trophy First Round ties will be played.

There are a handful of ties on Saturday, 5th December but the majority are being played on Tuesday, December 8th – just five days after the current national lockdown ends.

There are 33 Southern Football League clubs still in the competition and there are a dozen all-Southern League ties.

Of the games against teams from other divisions, Premier Division Central side St Ives Town, who have reached the First Round for the first time, make the trip up the A1 to take on Northern Premier League Premier Division outfit Grantham Town at The Meres.

The Gingerbreads are struggling in the league, with no wins from their opening eight games, and beat Southern League Division One Central side Yaxley 2-0 away from home in the last round.

Having only drawn two of their home games to date, the Saints should quietly fancy their chances of winning this one.

Hitchin Town have a home tie at Top Field but face a much tougher test Grantham`s league rivals Mickleover, who currently top the table.

The Canaries last reached the First Round in 2016/17 when they lost 1-0 at Chelmsford City

The best Hitchin have managed in the competition was back in 1998/99 when they fought their way to the last sixteen under Andy Melvin`s management and with current boss Mark Burke in the team.

Hitchin beat Hereford United and Enfield – both after replays - and then Weston-super-Mare before losing 2-1 at home to Forest Green Rovers in the Fifth Round.

The Canaries` league rivals Rushall Olympic also face NPL Premier Division opposition in the team who are joint top with Mickleover, Basford United.

The Nottinghamshire side have exactly the same record as Mickleover, the difference being they have scored four fewer goals.

Managed by former Nottingham Forest stalwart defender Steve Chettle (right), Basford have progressed through the Pyramid rapidly in recent years but have not gone beyond this stage before in the Trophy.

Southern Premier Division Central side Nuneaton Borough and Premier Division South outfit Salisbury will both be hoping not to be headline grabbers for the wrong reasons as they face lower league opposition.

Jimmy Ginnelly`s Boro, who beat NPL Division One South East side Newcastle Town in the last round, followed that up with only their second league win of the campaign to date in a 2-0 success at Alvechurch just before the second lockdown.

Nuneaton visit Isthmian League South Central Division side Marlow, who currently sit in tenth place in the table and are unbeaten at home.

Steve Claridge`s Whites were one of the teams desperate to have kept going when football from Step 3 downwards was halted!

They stormed into the next round of the Trophy with a 6-0 hammering of league rivals and current second-placed Tiverton Town – and that came just seven days after a 6-1 demolition of struggling Dorchester Town at the Avenue Stadium.

Salisbury welcome Marlow`s league rivals Bracknell Town to the Raymond McEnhill Stadium.

The Robins, managed by former Hungerford Town boss Bobby Wilkinson (left), are currently fifth in the table but have only played five league matches, having earlier gone through four ties in the Emirates FA Cup as well as a 2-0 win against Isthmian South East outfit Sevenoaks Town in the previous round of the Trophy.

A man Claridge`s side will have to track is striker Seb Bowerman, who has 10 goals to his name already this season.

Southern League clubs looking to cause upsets themselves against outside opposition are Division One Central Thame United and Coleshill Town.

Thame reached the Third Round back in 2002/03 and their manager Mark West has the distinction of scoring the winning goal in the 1991 Trophy Final!

They welcome Isthmian League Premier Division Bognor Regis Town to The ASM Stadium.

Like a number of other teams, this latest lockdown period came at the wrong time for the Rocks as, after an indifferent start to 2020/21, they were on a run of four successive wins – including beating Tooting & Mitcham United in the Trophy – when football at this level was halted again.

Coleshill have only been eligible for the Trophy for three seasons, after winning promotion from the Midland League in 2018, and exited early in their two previous campaigns.

They face the 1974/75 winners Matlock Town of the NPL Premier Division.

The Gladiators created history when beating Scarborough at Wembley in 1975 for having three brothers – Tom, Nick and Mick Fenoughty – in the team that won 4-0.

They currently sit in eighth place and beat Southern Premier Division Central leaders Coalville Town on penalties in the last round.

Both Walton Casuals and Lowestoft Town take on teams from outside leagues from the same level.

It`s a battle of the Casuals for the Stags as they make the short journey to King George's Field to play Isthmian Premier Corinthian-Casuals.

Famed, of course, for their exploits in their amateur days, they have only gone as far as the Second Round back in 2002/03 in the Trophy but beat Walton`s league rivals Hendon in a nine-goal thriller in the last round.

The Stags have already exceeded their best previous best Trophy run and beat Isthmian Premier outfit in Folkestone Invicta in the last round, so will know what to expect.

Premier Division Central side Lowestoft Town last progressed past this round way back in the 1970s and host Corinthian-Casuals` rivals Cheshunt, who currently occupy second spot in the Isthmian Premier.

The Ambers make the long journey to the Suffolk coast having gotten as far as the Third Round in 2005.

Of the all-Southern League ties, there are five that pitch Premier Division clubs with Division One teams, five all-Premier Division games and two where we are assured of Division One progression.

Division One South side Moneyfields have only played four league games to date but have been involved in three FA Cup and two Trophy matches.

A Kieron Roberts (right) brace helped Moneys to see off high flying league rivals Basingstoke Town in the Second Qualifying Round of the Trophy and then edged out Division One Central side Kidlington in the last round by the odd goal in five.

Dave Carter`s side face Premier Division South promotion chasers Truro City at home on Saturday.

The White Tigers – the only Southern League team in the current Tier 1 area – are fourth in the table and beat West Country league rivals Taunton Town 4-2 away in the last round – their last game – on Tuesday, November 3rd.

Another West Country outfit, Division One South side Willand Rovers, have a difficult tie away to Premier Division South leaders Poole Town.

The Dolphins are one of only two teams yet to taste defeat in the division – the other being Salisbury – and their last game before lockdown was also the previous round of the Trophy when they inflicted a 4-1 defeat on league rivals Hartley Wintney on their own patch.

Rovers are presently seventh but haven`t seen any action since Tuesday, October 27th when they were beaten 3-0 at the Corinium Stadium by leaders Cirencester Town.

There`s an intriguing tie at the Premier Plus Stadium where Division One Central side St Neots Town welcome Premier Division Central outfit Kings Langley.

The Saints have lost only once in the league this season to date after eight games and hammered Northern Premier League Division One South East side Worksop Town 6-1 in the last round with Leon Lobjoit and Ben Worman both bagging braces.

Since then, their final game before lockdown saw Barry Corr`s young team win 2-1 at Sharpenhoe Road in the league on November 3rd.

Kings Langley are presently ninth in the table but, after 4-1 victory over Isthmian League Premier Division side Brightlingsea Regent in the last round in which Saul Williams scored twice, they suffered a 1-0 defeat at Leiston in the league on November 3rd – the Suffolk club`s first league win.

There`s a tie that can almost be described as a derby with Premier Division Central side Biggleswade Town hosting Division One Central Bedford Town at Langford Road.

Only just over 12 miles separate the two and the Waders, who have had a strange season to date in the league, losing at home to Bromsgrove Sporting and then hammering Leiston 7-4, also at home, just three days later.

That inconsistency has continued, which is why they find themselves down in 16th place in the table.

They progressed in the Trophy with a 1-0 win, also on home soil, against ten-man Heybridge Swifts, Carl Furlong scoring the only goal to oust the Isthmian North outfit.

Bedford have improved considerably since Gary Setchell arrived as manager and they are now fifth, having not lost in league or cup since the second game of the season.

The Eagles have had two Trophy ties to reach this stage – both against Northern Premier Division One South East sides in Spalding United, thanks to a Rene Howe effort and Loughborough Dynamo, who they beat 3-1 with goals from Will Summerfield, Tom Hitchcock and the manager`s son Danny.

Bedford`s league rivals Welwyn Garden City welcome Premier Division Central side Hednesford Town to Herns Way in a tie that many pundits are pencilling in as a potential `upset`.

The Pitmen are struggling in the league, currently sitting third-from-bottom. However, under new boss Keenen Meakin-Richards things have picked up somewhat and they went into lockdown with successive wins at home to Bromsgrove Sporting in the league and at Welwyn Garden City`s league rivals Corby Town in the previous round of the Trophy.

Nick Ironton`s Citizens caused one of the shocks of the Third Qualifying Round when they beat Isthmian Premier Division side Horsham on 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Sussex – the bosses` son George equalising.

They had also triumphed in the same county in the previous round when they knocked out Isthmian South East outfit Haywards Heath Town 4-1 with Jordan Kinoshi netting two of the goals.

The two ties between Division One sides sees Central outfit North Leigh welcome Frome Town from the South section to Eynsham Park, while the other game is an all-South encounter between Evesham United and Bideford AFC at The Spiers & Hartwell Jubilee Stadium.

The Millers find themselves third bottom in the league with just one win from seven outings but have come through two rounds of the Trophy, beating Division One South side Thatcham Town 4-2 and then league rivals Wantage Town 4-1 in the last round.

Frome, one of the pre-season fancies for promotion, have started inconsistently, with three wins, two draws and two defeats in the league, but caused an upset in the last round of the Trophy when they knocked Premier Division South side Farnborough out 3-0 with a Rex Mannings double and one from Jon Davies.

Evesham progressed to this round, courtesy of a best-of-five-goal win at home to Northern Premier Division One South East side Leek Town in which Harry Franklin netted a hat-trick for the Worcestershire Robins.

The Devonian Robins have yet to record a league win in six attempts but did beat league rivals Slimbridge, also 3-2, in the last round of the Trophy.

There are two all-Premier Division South ties where Swindon Supermarine entertain second-bottom Dorchester Town at the WebbsWood and Weston-super-Mare welcome Chesham United to The Optima Stadium.

Supermarine are currently sixth in the table and have already beaten the Magpies in the league, but they were given a fright by Division One South neighbours Highworth Town in the last round before a Conor McDonagh (left) brace edged `Marine through 3-2.

This game will be Robbie Herrera`s first in charge of Magpies, having taken over earlier this month from Leigh Robinson.

Weston have only won once in the league in six attempts but went through four rounds of the Emirates FA Cup before bowing out to Vanarama National League side Eastleigh in the Fourth Qualifying Round and beat Division One South neighbours Larkhall Athletic in the last round of the Trophy.

Chesham currently sit seventh in the table but needed penalties to reach this stage of the competition after sharing a 2-2 draw at the Meadow with Isthmian South East side Whyteleafe.

The three remaining ties all involve Premier Division Central teams and two are derby encounters.

AFC Rushden & Diamonds welcome Peterborough Sports to Hayden Road and both sit on nine points in the league and would consider their league starts to be disappointing, given the fact they both figured prominently on the list of favourites for a promotion challenge.

Second-placed Needham Market have a Suffolk derby at Bloomfields against second-bottom Leiston.

Kevin Horlock`s Marketmen have yet to taste defeat in the league to date, winning five and drawing two of their seven matches, while in contrast, the Blues won for the first time in the league in their last game before lockdown at home to Kings Langley.

The other tie looks like being a tight one as fifth-placed Tamworth travel to Garden Walk to play eighth-placed Royston Town.

The pair shared a 1-1 draw at The Lamb on October 17th and it would surprise few if this tie went to penalties to decide the winner.

Scheduled for Saturday, December 5th

34 EVESHAM UNITED v BIDEFORD AFC
32 MONEYFIELDS v TRURO CITY
36 POOLE TOWN v WILLAND ROVERS
35 SWINDON SUPERMARINE v DORCHESTER TOWN

Scheduled for Tuesday, December 8th

ROYSTON TOWN v TAMWORTH
Grantham Town v ST IVES TOWN
COLESHILL TOWN v Matlock Town
ST NEOTS TOWN v KINGS LANGLEY
HITCHIN TOWN v Mickleover
Marlow v NUNEATON BOROUGH
BIGGLESWADE TOWN v BEDFORD TOWN
AFC RUSHDEN & DIAMONDS v PETERBOROUGH SPORTS
Basford United v RUSHALL OLYMPIC
WELWYN GARDEN CITY v HEDNESFORD TOWN
LOWESTOFT TOWN v Cheshunt
NEEDHAM MARKET v LEISTON
Corinthian-Casuals v WALTON CASUALS
SALISBURY v Bracknell Town
NORTH LEIGH v FROME TOWN
THAME UNITED v Bognor Regis Town
WESTON-super-MARE v CHESHAM UNITED