Emirates FA Cup 2019/20 Actual Preliminary Round
First of all, thanks for the feedback & comments on the first instalment of this thing. I may have let slip that I'm a Birmingham City fan. I think I mentioned it once because a few people fed back how surprised they were that Blues are still in the Cup at this stage of the competition.
Anyway, I've checked it out and can confirm that, yes, Blues are still in this year's Emirates FA Cup. Thanks for the concern and compassion shown.
The English Football League Pyramid
Some of you will know all this. My understanding was on the rusty side, so I thought it worth bringing myself up to date and writing down the bits & pieces that make up the EFL (English Football league) & NLS (National League System) pyramid .
Let's start with the National League (the one below League 2). That's Level 5 EFL/Step 1 NLS. For those of a certain age, that's the Vauxhall Conference. Current high flyers are Solihull Moors, Woking and Bromley. The 24 National League teams will join the FA Cup in the final (fourth) qualifying round.
Then Level 6 EFL/Step 2 NLS. National League North & National League South, led by York City and Wealdstone respectively, at the time of writing. These guys will be joining the second qualifying round.
OK, so now we have Level 7 EFL/Step 3 NLS. The Northern League Premier Division, Southern League Premier Division South, Southern League Premier Division Central and Isthmian League Premier Division. With a few exceptions, these teams join the FA Cup in the first qualifying round.
One of the exceptions appears to be Cray Wanderers FC (see below...) of the Isthmian League Premier Division, promoted from the South East Division last season.
One of the exceptions appears to be Cray Wanderers FC (see below...) of the Isthmian League Premier Division, promoted from the South East Division last season.
Right, Level 8 EFL/Step 4 NLS. Here's a list:
- Northern Premier League North West
- Northern Premier League South East
- Southern League Division One South
- Southern League Division One Central
- Isthmian League North Division
- Isthmian League South East Division, including Hythe Town FC: "The Cannons"
- Isthmian League South Central Division, including Chertsey Town: "The Curfews"
Now, deep breath....Level 9 EFL/Step 5 NLS. Big list coming. Make a cuppa, take a seat, here goes...
- Combined Counties League Premier Division
- Eastern Counties Football League Premier Division
- Essex Senior League Premier Division
- Hellenic League Premier Division
- Midland Football League Premier Division
- North West Counties Football League Premier Division
- Northern Counties East League Premier Division
- Northern League Division One
- Southern Combination Football League Premier Division
- Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division, including Erith & Belvedere: "The Deres"
- Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division
- United Counties League Premier Division
- Wessex League Premier Division
- Western League Premier Division
...and breathe.
Preliminary Round: Saturday 24 August 2019
Chertsey Town FC versus Erith & Belvedere FC.
Alwyns Lane, the home of The Curfews (named after the local church bell ringing out for the evening curfew), Chertsey Town. Winners of the 2019 FA Vase. And to prove it, here's a couple of things that are on display in the bar...
The Curfews were hosting The Deres - Erith & Belvedere FC, on a scorchio day down in deepest Surrey. I saw The Deres in the extra preliminary round. Today The Deres were in their away red & white quads kit. The blue & white of Chertsey Town completed the set-up.
Entry £9, Programme £2, Top-Notch Cheeseburger £3.50.
Attendance. My estimate was about 200. According to www.thefa.com, it was 170.
"Lubo, Lubo, Lubo..." came the chant from behind the goal. I'm not qualified enough to nominate a man of the match, but the Chertsey number 7 caught my eye early on and was pretty lively throughout. That was Lubo. Lubo Guentchev, former Bulgarian under-23 international. He was lively alright.
The Curfew's efforts in the first half reminded me of an Oliver Reed night out (topical stuff). They were hitting the bar every few minutes. Despite this and the vocal support for the home team, after 18 minutes Erith & Belvedere were 1-0 up. A little against the run of play, Kameiko Pope-Campbell put the visitors ahead.
Then there was a drinks break. Oliver Reed would have been delighted.
And then Chertsey went through the gears...
1-1 38 mins Quincey Rowe screamer from the edge of the box
2-1 46 mins Andy Crossley long range beauty
3-1 50 mins Scott Day finishing a lovely move with some one-touch passing around the box
4-1 57 mins Andy Crossley again, after a bit of a mix-up in defence
5-1 74 mins Jonathan Hippolyte completing the scoring
There was another drinks break for Oliver Reed in the second half, a couple of lost balls and an impressive clearance lodging a ball up a tree.
And that was that. On a blazing summer's day, The Curfews were too hot for The Deres.
Thanks to Erith & Belvedere FC for the journey through the preliminary stages, and thanks to Chertsey Town FC for the match, the shade, a glance at the FA Vase trophy and some quality football.
I'll be honest. I was listening to Ben Stokes' Ashes heroics for much of the second half of this match. If it was 6 for Ben Stokes it was 5 for Cray Wanderers, in a 5-0 victory over The Cannons.
According to the programme, "...as a club we [Cray] want to have a good run in the cup this year..." and "...the owners have backed us and allowed us to sign the likes of Harry Hudson...". Another of the new signings, Tom Murphy, scored a brace in the first half to get The Wands on their way.
1-0 9 mins New signing Tom Murphy
2-0 39 mins Again, Tom Murphy with a curler from the edge of the box
3-0 45 mins Nicely placed past the keeper from the edge of the box by Joe Taylor
4-0 63 mins Silky stuff (Gazza v Colin Hendry Euro 96) leading to a Bradley Pritchard finish
5-0 90 mins Another from Joe Taylor
The first half was pretty even, with Hythe being competitive while the scoreline was still 1-0. After that, both The Wands and Ben Stokes were dominant.
The Wands were in gold & black, Hythe Town all in red. Imagine Wolves v Liverpool.
Another scorching day required a couple of Oliver Reed drinks breaks.
The match was played at Bromley's Hayes Road stadium, Cray's current home. Fun facts...
The Wands (the oldest football club in London and one of the oldest in the world, founded in 1860) have approval to build a new stadium at the excellently named Flamingo Park for the 2021/22 season. Based on today's showing, I'll stick my neck out and say they might be in the pink with a decent cup run before then.
Thanks to The Wands and The Cannons for the good game, Hayes Lane for an impressive stadium and pie, and to Ben Stokes (again).
That's the preliminary rounds done (apart from a few more matches and loads of replays over the next week or so) and it's through to the qualifying rounds for Chertsey & Cray.
Perhaps it's the year of the "C's"? Good news for City, Birmingham.
Alwyns Lane, the home of The Curfews (named after the local church bell ringing out for the evening curfew), Chertsey Town. Winners of the 2019 FA Vase. And to prove it, here's a couple of things that are on display in the bar...
Entry £9, Programme £2, Top-Notch Cheeseburger £3.50.
Attendance. My estimate was about 200. According to www.thefa.com, it was 170.
"Lubo, Lubo, Lubo..." came the chant from behind the goal. I'm not qualified enough to nominate a man of the match, but the Chertsey number 7 caught my eye early on and was pretty lively throughout. That was Lubo. Lubo Guentchev, former Bulgarian under-23 international. He was lively alright.
The Curfew's efforts in the first half reminded me of an Oliver Reed night out (topical stuff). They were hitting the bar every few minutes. Despite this and the vocal support for the home team, after 18 minutes Erith & Belvedere were 1-0 up. A little against the run of play, Kameiko Pope-Campbell put the visitors ahead.
Then there was a drinks break. Oliver Reed would have been delighted.
And then Chertsey went through the gears...
1-1 38 mins Quincey Rowe screamer from the edge of the box
2-1 46 mins Andy Crossley long range beauty
3-1 50 mins Scott Day finishing a lovely move with some one-touch passing around the box
4-1 57 mins Andy Crossley again, after a bit of a mix-up in defence
5-1 74 mins Jonathan Hippolyte completing the scoring
There was another drinks break for Oliver Reed in the second half, a couple of lost balls and an impressive clearance lodging a ball up a tree.
And that was that. On a blazing summer's day, The Curfews were too hot for The Deres.
Thanks to Erith & Belvedere FC for the journey through the preliminary stages, and thanks to Chertsey Town FC for the match, the shade, a glance at the FA Vase trophy and some quality football.
Preliminary Round: Sunday 25 August 2019
Cray Wanderers FC versus Hythe Town FC.
Entry £10, Programme £2, Great Steak & Ale Pie £3.50.
Attendance. My estimate, about 250. Actual 230 (from www.cray-wanderers.com). My guesses are getting better.
Entry £10, Programme £2, Great Steak & Ale Pie £3.50.
Attendance. My estimate, about 250. Actual 230 (from www.cray-wanderers.com). My guesses are getting better.
I'll be honest. I was listening to Ben Stokes' Ashes heroics for much of the second half of this match. If it was 6 for Ben Stokes it was 5 for Cray Wanderers, in a 5-0 victory over The Cannons.
According to the programme, "...as a club we [Cray] want to have a good run in the cup this year..." and "...the owners have backed us and allowed us to sign the likes of Harry Hudson...". Another of the new signings, Tom Murphy, scored a brace in the first half to get The Wands on their way.
1-0 9 mins New signing Tom Murphy
2-0 39 mins Again, Tom Murphy with a curler from the edge of the box
3-0 45 mins Nicely placed past the keeper from the edge of the box by Joe Taylor
4-0 63 mins Silky stuff (Gazza v Colin Hendry Euro 96) leading to a Bradley Pritchard finish
5-0 90 mins Another from Joe Taylor
The first half was pretty even, with Hythe being competitive while the scoreline was still 1-0. After that, both The Wands and Ben Stokes were dominant.
The Wands were in gold & black, Hythe Town all in red. Imagine Wolves v Liverpool.
Another scorching day required a couple of Oliver Reed drinks breaks.
The match was played at Bromley's Hayes Road stadium, Cray's current home. Fun facts...
- The stadium was opened by Sir Stanley Rous in 1938
- Some of the seating is from the 2012 Olympic Aquatic Centre
- It's an artificial 3G pitch
The Wands (the oldest football club in London and one of the oldest in the world, founded in 1860) have approval to build a new stadium at the excellently named Flamingo Park for the 2021/22 season. Based on today's showing, I'll stick my neck out and say they might be in the pink with a decent cup run before then.
Thanks to The Wands and The Cannons for the good game, Hayes Lane for an impressive stadium and pie, and to Ben Stokes (again).
That's the preliminary rounds done (apart from a few more matches and loads of replays over the next week or so) and it's through to the qualifying rounds for Chertsey & Cray.
Perhaps it's the year of the "C's"? Good news for City, Birmingham.
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