FA Vase First Round Preview
Thu 30th October 2014 | General | By Ian Templeman
The focus for 19 of our clubs at the weekend is on the FA Carlsberg Vase, as the competition reaches the First Round stage.
At least four of our clubs are guaranteed to progress to the next round, and join Congleton Town who are exempt to that stage, with four ties being all-NWCFL affairs and all equally likely to produce keenly contested games.
West Didsbury & Chorlton host Glossop North End in an all-Premier Division clash at Brookburn Road, with Glossop already having completed a league double over West, scoring seven goals and conceding none in the process.
A glance at the form book shows that West’s away form is better than their home form, but cup games are always a different matter, and a good crowd is in prospect for what has the look of a really good game.
The same can also be said of the tie at New Sirs, where Daisy Hill host Atherton Collieries in a derby clash, and with a league meeting between the two sides producing eight goals in front of a crowd of 607 a few weeks back, expectations will be high that the latest meeting will deliver more of the same.
It's Sunday football once more for 1874 Northwich, with their tie against Ashton Town being the third successive game that they have played in the competition on the Sabbath this season. For Ashton Town, it's their third away tie in a row, and the second time they have played on a Sunday this season in the Vase, having triumphed at Appleby Frodingham in the First Qualifying Round.
The final all-NWCFL clash sees AFC Darwen host Maine Road, the first meeting between the sides since the home side re-joined the league in 2010. The Vase has traditionally been a source of disappointment for Road in recent years, with last season’s effort in reaching the Second Round being their best performance in the competition since 1998-99.
For AFC Darwen, the tie gives them the opportunity to progress to the Second Round for the first time in their history.
Four of our clubs face Northern League opposition, three of them facing long trips up to the North East.
Bishop Auckland is the destination for Holker Old Boys, who have already seen off two other Northern League clubs already this season, Durham City and Norton & Stockton Ancients.
Holker boss Gary Fawcett reflected when the draw was made that another home tie would have been nice, but that the game does give his side a chance to progress, although they won’t find it easy against a side sitting 6th in the Northern League Division One who have lost only twice at home in the league so far this season.
A similarly tough test faces Silsden, who make the trip up to Consett, who are currently in 9th place in the Northern League Division One. The Cobbydalers have not had much luck against Northern League clubs in the Vase over the years, with only three wins in nine previous encounters, but they do have the incentive of knowing that victory would see them progress to the Second Round for only the second time in their history, ten years after first achieving the feat.
West Allotment Celtic saw off Nelson after a replay in the last round, meaning that Runcorn Town have a long trip to Longbenton in Tyne & Wear, rather than a shorter one to East Lancashire to face more familiar opponents.
Once they arrive in the North East, Town will find the setting for the game is the impressive Whitley Park, a home that Celtic share with the Northumberland FA and Newcastle United Reserves.
However, the home side’s form has been slightly patchy this season so far, and they currently sit 18th out of 22 clubs in the Northern League First Division, so Town will fancy their chances of progress to keep up their impressive record in the Vase in recent seasons.
Although Colne are the only one of our four clubs who have home advantage over Northern League opponents, there’s little doubt that Shildon will be formidable visitors to the XLCR Stadium. Their FA Cup exploits, which ended on Wednesday night with a home defeat to Norton United, have seen them slide into mid table through a lack of league action, but they have lost just three league games all season and the Reds will be hoping that their midweek disappointment will not produce a backlash.
Five of our clubs face opponents from the Northern Counties East League, with Winsford United appearing to have the toughest test in hosting Tadcaster Albion, the Premier Division league leaders.
It’s only the third time in 15 years that the Yorkshire side have faced NWCFL opponents in the Vase, the previous two occasions both being against Formby. However, in August Barnoldswick Town were on the wrong end of a 5-0 defeat in the FA Cup, and the Blues only need to take a look at Albion’s league record to deduce that they face a tough test.
They have suffered just two defeats in 15 league games, and are averaging three goals a game, and on top of that are likely to be cheered on by a sizeable support, as they have regularly attracted crowds of over 200 for home games recently.
Runcorn Linnets enter the competition for the first time, and on Sunday make the trip to Barnsley to face Shaw Lane Aquaforce, another side going well in the NCEL, sitting in second place, three points behind Tadcaster. Linnets will be mindful that in the last round, Shaw Lane beat Ashton Athletic 1-0 at Brocstedes Park, playing with 10 men for the majority of the second half.
There is recent past history between Bootle and Barton Town Old Boys, with the Bucks winning 4-1 in a Preliminary Round FA Cup tie at the Delta Taxis Stadium in August 2013. Since that game the Lincolnshire club from Barton-on-Humber, in the shadow of the Humber Bridge, have beaten Abbey Hey 7-0 in the FA Cup earlier this season, but had less luck in last season’s Vase when they lost 5-3 at Stockport Sports.
Any supporters or officials with long associations with St Helens Town or Yorkshire Amateur will need good memories to recall the only previous meeting between the clubs in the Vase. That took place in season 2000-01 over in Leeds, with Town winning 6-3, and with home advantage they will start as favourites in this re-match, with the Ammies sitting in 10th place in the NCEL Division One.
A good win for Chadderton over Abbey Hey in the last round rewarded them with a trip to Dronfield in Derbyshire, to face Dronfield Town. The Chesterfield side have not had the best of seasons, with just two league wins all season, and controversy surrounded their progress through to this stage of the competition after their initial attempt to play a replay against Maltby Main in the last round was abandoned due to disturbances.
Derbyshire is also the destination for Eccleshall, whose opponents are Mickleover Royals, who play in the South Division of the Central Midlands League, and if current form is anything to go by, Shaun Hollinshead’s men are in for an uncomfortable aftrenoon.
The Royals play at the same Mickleover Sports Club venue as Mickleover Sports of the Evo-Stik League Division One South, which has caused the game to be moved to Sunday due to a fixture clash. They have won 11 and drawn the other of their 12 league games so far, and not surprisingly lead the league by 11 points from their nearest rivals.
Finally, it’s a journey into the unknown for Hanley Town, who head to Ellistown in rural Leicestershire to face Ellistown & Ibstock United.
Hanley’s opponents sit in 5th place in the East Midlands Counties League Premier Division, and come into the game in good form, having lost just one of their last seven league games.
Good luck to all our sides on Saturday.
FA Vase First Round Preview
Thu 30th October 2014 | General
By Ian Templeman
The focus for 19 of our clubs at the weekend is on the FA Carlsberg Vase, as the competition reaches the First Round stage.
At least four of our clubs are guaranteed to progress to the next round, and join Congleton Town who are exempt to that stage, with four ties being all-NWCFL affairs and all equally likely to produce keenly contested games.
West Didsbury & Chorlton host Glossop North End in an all-Premier Division clash at Brookburn Road, with Glossop already having completed a league double over West, scoring seven goals and conceding none in the process.
A glance at the form book shows that West’s away form is better than their home form, but cup games are always a different matter, and a good crowd is in prospect for what has the look of a really good game.
The same can also be said of the tie at New Sirs, where Daisy Hill host Atherton Collieries in a derby clash, and with a league meeting between the two sides producing eight goals in front of a crowd of 607 a few weeks back, expectations will be high that the latest meeting will deliver more of the same.
It's Sunday football once more for 1874 Northwich, with their tie against Ashton Town being the third successive game that they have played in the competition on the Sabbath this season. For Ashton Town, it's their third away tie in a row, and the second time they have played on a Sunday this season in the Vase, having triumphed at Appleby Frodingham in the First Qualifying Round.
The final all-NWCFL clash sees AFC Darwen host Maine Road, the first meeting between the sides since the home side re-joined the league in 2010. The Vase has traditionally been a source of disappointment for Road in recent years, with last season’s effort in reaching the Second Round being their best performance in the competition since 1998-99.
For AFC Darwen, the tie gives them the opportunity to progress to the Second Round for the first time in their history.
Four of our clubs face Northern League opposition, three of them facing long trips up to the North East.
Bishop Auckland is the destination for Holker Old Boys, who have already seen off two other Northern League clubs already this season, Durham City and Norton & Stockton Ancients.
Holker boss Gary Fawcett reflected when the draw was made that another home tie would have been nice, but that the game does give his side a chance to progress, although they won’t find it easy against a side sitting 6th in the Northern League Division One who have lost only twice at home in the league so far this season.
A similarly tough test faces Silsden, who make the trip up to Consett, who are currently in 9th place in the Northern League Division One. The Cobbydalers have not had much luck against Northern League clubs in the Vase over the years, with only three wins in nine previous encounters, but they do have the incentive of knowing that victory would see them progress to the Second Round for only the second time in their history, ten years after first achieving the feat.
West Allotment Celtic saw off Nelson after a replay in the last round, meaning that Runcorn Town have a long trip to Longbenton in Tyne & Wear, rather than a shorter one to East Lancashire to face more familiar opponents.
Once they arrive in the North East, Town will find the setting for the game is the impressive Whitley Park, a home that Celtic share with the Northumberland FA and Newcastle United Reserves.
However, the home side’s form has been slightly patchy this season so far, and they currently sit 18th out of 22 clubs in the Northern League First Division, so Town will fancy their chances of progress to keep up their impressive record in the Vase in recent seasons.
Although Colne are the only one of our four clubs who have home advantage over Northern League opponents, there’s little doubt that Shildon will be formidable visitors to the XLCR Stadium. Their FA Cup exploits, which ended on Wednesday night with a home defeat to Norton United, have seen them slide into mid table through a lack of league action, but they have lost just three league games all season and the Reds will be hoping that their midweek disappointment will not produce a backlash.
Five of our clubs face opponents from the Northern Counties East League, with Winsford United appearing to have the toughest test in hosting Tadcaster Albion, the Premier Division league leaders.
It’s only the third time in 15 years that the Yorkshire side have faced NWCFL opponents in the Vase, the previous two occasions both being against Formby. However, in August Barnoldswick Town were on the wrong end of a 5-0 defeat in the FA Cup, and the Blues only need to take a look at Albion’s league record to deduce that they face a tough test.
They have suffered just two defeats in 15 league games, and are averaging three goals a game, and on top of that are likely to be cheered on by a sizeable support, as they have regularly attracted crowds of over 200 for home games recently.
Runcorn Linnets enter the competition for the first time, and on Sunday make the trip to Barnsley to face Shaw Lane Aquaforce, another side going well in the NCEL, sitting in second place, three points behind Tadcaster. Linnets will be mindful that in the last round, Shaw Lane beat Ashton Athletic 1-0 at Brocstedes Park, playing with 10 men for the majority of the second half.
There is recent past history between Bootle and Barton Town Old Boys, with the Bucks winning 4-1 in a Preliminary Round FA Cup tie at the Delta Taxis Stadium in August 2013. Since that game the Lincolnshire club from Barton-on-Humber, in the shadow of the Humber Bridge, have beaten Abbey Hey 7-0 in the FA Cup earlier this season, but had less luck in last season’s Vase when they lost 5-3 at Stockport Sports.
Any supporters or officials with long associations with St Helens Town or Yorkshire Amateur will need good memories to recall the only previous meeting between the clubs in the Vase. That took place in season 2000-01 over in Leeds, with Town winning 6-3, and with home advantage they will start as favourites in this re-match, with the Ammies sitting in 10th place in the NCEL Division One.
A good win for Chadderton over Abbey Hey in the last round rewarded them with a trip to Dronfield in Derbyshire, to face Dronfield Town. The Chesterfield side have not had the best of seasons, with just two league wins all season, and controversy surrounded their progress through to this stage of the competition after their initial attempt to play a replay against Maltby Main in the last round was abandoned due to disturbances.
Derbyshire is also the destination for Eccleshall, whose opponents are Mickleover Royals, who play in the South Division of the Central Midlands League, and if current form is anything to go by, Shaun Hollinshead’s men are in for an uncomfortable aftrenoon.
The Royals play at the same Mickleover Sports Club venue as Mickleover Sports of the Evo-Stik League Division One South, which has caused the game to be moved to Sunday due to a fixture clash. They have won 11 and drawn the other of their 12 league games so far, and not surprisingly lead the league by 11 points from their nearest rivals.
Finally, it’s a journey into the unknown for Hanley Town, who head to Ellistown in rural Leicestershire to face Ellistown & Ibstock United.
Hanley’s opponents sit in 5th place in the East Midlands Counties League Premier Division, and come into the game in good form, having lost just one of their last seven league games.
Good luck to all our sides on Saturday.
