Twenty ESL clubs start off in the Extra Preliminary Round of the Emirates FA Cup on Saturday with three clubs, Hackney Wick, Wadham Lodge and West Essex making their FA Cup debuts. The Wickers host Long Melford from the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division. To entice the people to come to the Old Spotted Dog, the club will be charging a mere £2 entrance with free entrance to senior citizens and U18s. Wadham Lodge make a long journey into Suffolk to face Thurlow Nunn Division One outfit Framlingham Town. The game will be recorded by BBC Sport for their FA Cup Preview Show, giving the club and the league some valuable exposure. There are a further ten ties against Thurlow Nunn League clubs with Great Wakering Rovers, now starting off in the earliest FA Cup round due to their relegation from the Bostik League, travelling to Newmarket Town. Southend Manor have been drawn to Wroxham, who were also relegated from the Bostik League last season. Clapton are drawn away to FC Clacton, Sporting Bengal United visit Hadleigh United, while Basildon United travel to Walsham le Willows. Enfield 1893, Hullbridge Sports, Ilford, Takeley and Barkingside all hosts sides from the Norfolk and Suffolk region. Burnham Ramblers are away to St Margaretsbury on the Sunday 6th August – the same day that Barkingside host Stowmarket Town. Tower Hamlets travel to FC Broxbourne Borough. The home side may have finished bottom of the Spartan South Midland League Premier Division last season but are now managed by Roy Bleu who last season took the club’s U18s right through to the last sixteen in the FA Youth Cup. A tough assignment could be in order.
Waltham Forest flew the ESL flag furthest in the FA Cup last season, reaching the 2nd Qualifying Round. The run started with a 5-1 win at fellow ESL outfit Redbridge in the Extra Preliminary Round and ended at the hands of Folkestone Invicta from the Bostik Premier. This time around they face-off against fellow ESL rivals FC Romania. It is one of three all ESL affairs as Redbridge are at home to Stansted; while Sawbridgeworth Town take on West Essex, whose first FA Cup tie pits them against a team they usually compete with in the ESL.
FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Saturday 5th August
Enfield 1893 v Haverhill Borough
FC Broxbourne Borough v Tower Hamlets
FC Clacton v Clapton
FC Romania v Waltham Forest
Framlingham Town v Wadham Lodge
Hackney Wick v Long Melford
Hadleigh United v Sporting Bengal United
Hullbridge Sports v Ipswich Wanderers
Ilford v Woodbridge Town
Newmarket Town v Great Wakering Rovers
Sawbridgeworth Town v West Essex
Southend Manor v Wroxham
Takeley v Wivenhoe Town
Walsham le Willows v Basildon United
Sunday 6th August
Barkingside v Stowmarket Town
St Margaretsbury v Burnham Ramblers