The Emirates FA Cup gets underway this weekend and all twenty Essex Senior League clubs are involved, so below is a preview of all nineteen Extra Preliminary Round ties that are taking place from the 2nd-4th August.....
Friday 2nd August
Stansted Vs Biggleswade
The Airportmen will be trying to build on their midweek point away at Little Oakley after such a poor start to their campaign last weekend, and they are up against Southern League One Central side Biggleswade who are yet to start their season, although it will still be a tough assignment for the hosts up against Step Four opposition.
Saturday 3rd August
Barton Rovers Vs Saffron Walden Town
This will be a tough trip for Walden, up against a Step Four outfit in the shape of Barton Rovers who will be playing in the Southern League One Central this season, yes the hosts haven't started the season as yet, and Walden are two league games in and come into this one off the back of a 2-0 success at Buckhurst Hill and bouncing back from a surprise loss to Athletic Newham on the opening day, but this will still be a hard one for the ESL side.
Benfleet Vs Woodford Town
These two will know each other very well after they met last weekend at the same ground in the opening weekend of the league, Woodford took a narrow 1-0 win on that occasion even though they played half the game with ten men, so can Benfleet, who are making their very first appearance in the famous old competition, gain revenge for last weeks defeat and build on their terrific 6-3 win over Ilford in midweek. It will be tough though against a Woodford side who have won both their league games thus far without conceding so the visitors will be confident of progression no doubt.
Biggleswade United Vs Frenford
Frenford come into this one having won their opening game last weekend against Sawbridgeworth Town before they lost at home to White Ensign in midweek, and they are up against Spartan South Midlands Premier (Step Five) side Biggleswade United who have drawn their opening two league games against Tring Athletic & Colney Heath, so this one will be a close one perhaps although the hosts may have the edge as the game is being played at their Verdant Stadium.
Chipstead Vs Athletic Newham
It's been a decent start to the season for Athletic Newham, they shocked Saffron Walden Town on the opening day at Catons Lane before they held Romford at Mayesbrook Park in midweek, Chipstead will be plying their trade in the Combined Counties Premier South (Step Five) this season and are yet to begin their campaign, so will that be an advantage to the visitors who will be more than confident of progression in this one.
Colney Heath Vs Takeley
Takeley have began their season having kept two clean sheets in the league in two games so far, they opened up with a 1-0 success against Ilford before they drew 0-0 at Great Wakering Rovers, so not a bad start, their opponents are Spartan South Midlands Premier (Step Five) Colney Heath, who have also played two games in the league so far and also have one win and one draw, so this could well be a decent match up that could go either way.
Eynesbury Rovers Vs Romford
Romford have began life under new management and quite a few new faces in general pretty decently indeed as their midweek draw with Athletic Newham came after their opening day thumping over one of the title favourites Stanway Rovers meaning they are unbeaten with four points from two games so far, their opponents are tenth in the standings of the United Counties Premier South (Step Five) after bouncing back from an opening day defeat to Hinckley AFC by beating Yaxley in midweek to grab their first points of the season. How will this one go, well I feel Romford may just sneak it myself.
FC Clacton Vs Leighton Town
This was always going to be a tough season for the hosts, they almost didn't even make the start of this season and could easily have been out of Senior Football altogether due to issues off the field that saw their entire playing staff and management depart, so they are building from scratch this season and the opening two league games unsurprisingly ended in defeats to Barking & West Essex without scoring a single goal. This task against Southern League One Central (Step Four) Leighton Town will be a very hard contest for sure, and one I don't foresee their being a surprise either, even if this is the visitors first competitive outing of the new season.
Great Wakering Rovers Vs Redbridge
Rovers welcome back a familiar foe in the shape of Isthmian North side Redbridge who were an ESL side only two seasons ago, Rovers have started the season with two clean sheets and four points from two games, opening up their campaign with a 2-0 win at West Essex before they drew 0-0 at home to Takeley in midweek, Redbridge of course are a Step Four side now but I feel this will be a very closely fought contest and remember the visitors haven't began their competitive season as yet, so will Rovers have the edge because of that?
Harpenden Town Vs Halstead Town
Halstead travel to Hertfordshire this weekend having only picked up one point from their opening two games in the ESL, they opened with a 1-1 draw at White Ensign before losing 4-2 at home to Hullbridge in midweek, Harpenden have played three games already this season, they lost in the Herts Charity Shield to Wormley Rovers before they won their opening league games in the Spartan South Midlands Premier (Step Five) at Shefford Town & Campton, and they took on Wormley again, this time in the league and played out a goalless draw in midweek. Could be a close one this, but one I feel the hosts may just edge.
Little Oakley Vs Dunstable Town
Oakley are the only side in the ESL to have drawn their opening two fixtures, they were two goals up in their opener at Buckhurst Hill before being pegged back, and they also led against Stansted until their opponents netted with ten minutes to go to deny them in that one too, so holding onto a lead seems an issue so far this season. Their opponents though have lost both their games in the Spartan South Midlands Premier (Step Five), losing to Colney Heath before falling to Winslow United in midweek, so Oakley may fancy progressing here as they do have home advantage too.
Newport Pagnell Town Vs Ilford
The Foxes haven't started the season how they would liked after a 1-0 loss at Takeley on the opening day of the season was followed up by a 6-3 loss at newbies Benfleet which saw them reduced to ten men late on as well, not ideal, and they travel to the outskirts of Milton Keynes for this cup tie against a Newport Pagnell side who have won and lost in their opening two outings in the United Counties Premier South (Step Five), thrashing Yaxley 5-1 in their opener before losing narrowly 2-1 at St Neots Town in midweek. I expect the hosts will probably prevail in this one though.
Potton United Vs White Ensign
Ensign have began this season well, they followed up a 1-1 draw with Halstead on the opening weekend with a fine 4-2 victory at Frenford largely thanks to an Ellis Deveraux hat-trick, can he fire again against a Potton United side who lost their opener in the Spartan South Midlands Premier (Step Five) at London Lions before bouncing back to defeat Baldock Town in midweek and send his side through? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure, Ensign will leave nothing on table in pursuit of victory.
Sawbridgeworth Town Vs FC Romania
These two actually played each other in league games last season as both competed in the Spartan South Midlands Premier (Step Five) in what was a rather disastrous campaign for the home side, they have been transferred back to the ESL for this season but have begun this one with two defeats from two without scoring, suffering 2-0 losses to both Frenford & Woodford. FC Romania did not start the season well after losing their opener 3-0 at home to MK Irish, but they did bounce back by winning 3-0 at Arlesey Town and I feel they will win through in this tie as well and progress into the next round.
Stanway Rovers Vs Maldon & Tiptree
Rovers have been installed as favourites along with Saffron Walden Town to win the ESL this season but their start hasn't been what they expected, as after losing 4-1 at Romford on the opening day they conceded late on at Barking to draw 1-1, meaning no wins from their opening two games, and they welcome Isthmian North (Step Four) side Maldon & Tiptree to their Hawthorns ground hoping to shock their opponents who haven't as yet started their season. This could be quite the game I must say and could maybe kick start the hosts season into life.
Tilbury Vs Buckhurst Hill
This was an ESL league game last season as the hosts went onto win the division and gain promotion back to Step Four and the Isthmian North at the first time of asking, however, Buckhurst Hill were the only side for some time to beat Tilbury, smacking them 4-0 at home to end their long unbeaten run, so maybe Hill will look to that to try and cause a surprise. Their league start has seen them pick up one point from two games so far, fighting back from two goals down to draw with Little Oakley before losing to Saffron Walden 2-0 in midweek, yes Tilbury haven't started their season yet, but I feel they will have the edge in this one.
Tring Athletic Vs Barking
Barking began life in the 2024/25 season with four points from their opening two games in the ESL, thumping FC Clacton 3-0 before netting a late leveller to draw with Stanway Rovers 1-1 in midweek, their opponents Tring Athletic have also picked up four points from their opening two games this season in the Spartan South Midlands Premier (Step Five), a 1-1 draw with Biggleswade United followed by a 2-1 win over London Lions, although I do fancy a Barking win in this one.
West Essex Vs Enfield
Wadham Lodge plays host to ESL Vs Southern One Central at the weekend, West's season began with a 2-0 loss to Great Wakering Rovers before they netted a 3-0 success over FC Clacton in midweek to bounce back from that opening day disappointment. They are up against an Enfield side who won promotion from the ESL two seasons ago although have been moved from the Isthmian North to their current league this season, and it's a league that is yet to begin, so West will at least have that advantage over them although it might be a tough assignment against a side in a league above them, but we will see.
Sunday 4th August
Grays Athletic v Hullbridge Sports
This tie puts ex Hullbridge Sports manager Darren Manning against his current side in Grays Athletic who of course play in the Isthmian North (Step Four). Manning was of course manager when Sports won promotion to the Isthmian North a few seasons ago so this will be one he is wanting to win no doubt, however, Hullbridge have started the season on fire, netting a 5-0 win over Stansted before they won 4-2 at Halstead in midweek, that's nine goals in two games and eight of those coming in the first half of those matches, Grays haven't yet started the season but will need to start it right if they are not to be swallowed up by the visitors attacking power. Could be a good one this.
That concludes all nineteen ties involving the ESL sides, how many will win through to the next round in two weeks time???
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