Emirates FA Cup Preview

By Admin ccl

13 Clubs Remain to Battle it out in Preliminary Round

With the Extra-Preliminary Round concluded, the CCL finds itself with 13 clubs taking their place in the Preliminary Round of the Emirates FA Cup. This compares to 12 last season and 19 the season before that.

One tie is between two CCL clubs, albeit in separate divisions, namely Bedfont & Feltham v AFC Hayes, so the League is guaranteed at least one club in the 1st Qualifying Round.

Tuesday’s replays in the Extra-Preliminary Round saw three of our clubs come through out of five, although every single tie was a close run affair. Successful were Bedfont & Feltham, who fought out a 1-1 draw after extra time against Spartan S. Midlands side London Tigers and then won by the narrowest of margins, 8-7 on penalties, whilst Chessington & Hook United only needed extra time to beat Southern Counties East club Crowborough Athletic by 2 goals to 1. Farnham Town provided the evening’s other success, getting the better of Hellenic side Thame United on penalties after a 1-1 draw following extra time. The outcome of the penalty shootout remains slightly uncertain as to whether it was 4-2 or 4-3 in Farnham’s favour, with even club officials giving varying information. No doubt we’ll clear it up shortly.

Sadly exiting the competition are Westfield, who lost by an o.g. to visitors Binfield, and Banstead Athletic who went down 1-2 at Rochester Town.

In the next round no less than 8 of our clubs are drawn at home, with 5 away, meeting a variety of opposition from either Step 5 or 4. In terms of distance, Spelthorne have drawn the short straw, having to travel some 75 miles into deepest Northamptonshire to play against United Counties League club Cogenhoe United. Chessington & Hook have only slightly less travel as they make their way to the Kent coast to Hythe Town, another journey of 70 miles plus. There could be some tricky midweek replays to be negotiated in the event of any ties ending in a draw, with Hartley Wintney possibly having to get up to Banbury and Ashford to Kempston in Bedfordshire plus Farnham into Oxfordshire to get to Highworth Town.

Initial representation in the competition was again restricted for our Step 6 sides and it is a great shame that the FA cannot devise a means by which all Step 6 clubs meeting the grading requirements could be allowed into the competition. As it was there were just four this season with Bedfont & Feltham now the only survivors, and they will meet with AFC Hayes in one of only two all Middlesex ties, the clash between Bedfont Sports and Southern League Hanwell Town being the other.

As far as we are aware at the moment, all the ties involving CCL clubs will be played on Saturday 29 August. Keep an eye on the fixtures scheduled for the Bank Holiday Monday as they will be postponed in favour of any FA Cup replays that may be needed.

Where next?

Changes to Bank Holiday Monday Matches All Games Subject to no FA Cup Replays

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