FA Vase
The weekend sees ten Buildbase FA Vase 1st Round ties involving Essex Senior League sides. Great Wakering Rovers got things rolling on Friday evening with a 2-1 win over Holland. Neil Richmond and Jay Nash made sure it was the ESL side that go into the 2nd Round draw.
Takeley take time out from leading the table to take a trip on the road to start their FA Vase campaign. Welwyn Garden City are the hosts and currently sit second in the Minerva Spartan South Midland Premier Division. This all makes for a mouth watering Vase encounter which either side has the quality to win.
Clapton enter the fray, managing to bypass the qualifying rounds due to their runners-up position last season. The Tons made a slow start to the current campaign but have put a winning run of four league wins together and take that form to London Lions. The hosts sit mid table in the Minerva Spartan South Midland Division One, have lost their last two league games, but went through two qualifying rounds to get this far and may want to continue their Vase run for a little bit longer.
Basildon United are second in the ESL and welcome Biggleswade to the Stuart Bingham Stadium. The visitors sit fourth in the Minerva Spartan South Midland Premier Division and therefore should make for an interesting Vase tie. The Bees certainly have fire power to go with their home advantage.
The remaining Vase ties see Hullbridge Sports at home to Colney Heath; Burnham Ramblers also have hone advantage in their tie with Leighton Town. Sawbridgeworth Town travel across the River Thames to play Beckenham Town; while Tower Hamlets travel to Halstead Town having scored ten in the previous round.
Two further ties take place on Sunday when Enfield 1892 host Coggeshall Town, while FC Romania start their Vase campaign with a home tie against Eynesbury.
Premier Division
The ESL clubs that have seen their Vase interest ended have League business to attend to as three games are scheduled. West Essex can haul themselves back towards the summit if they can overcome Stansted; Sporting Bengal United and Barkingside clash at Mile End Stadium with both clubs looking to end losing runs. The other game involves bottom-placed Wadham Lodge who travel to Southend Manor. Redbridge meanwhile welcome local rivals Ilford in an Errington Challenge Cup engagement. It provides Ilford the opportunity to gain revenge for a recent 5-1 league defeat at the hands of Redbridge who no doubt may be keen to double the dose.
Saturday 21st September
Emirates FA Vase 1st Round
Basildon United v Biggleswade
Beckenham Town v Sawbridgeworth Town
Burnham Ramblers v Leighton Town
Halstead Town v Tower Hamlets
Hullbridge Sports v Colney Heath
London Lions v Clapton
Premier Division
Southend Manor v Wadham Lodge
Sporting Bengal United v Barkingside
West Essex v Stansted
Errington Challenge Cup 1st Round
Redbridge v Barkingside
Sunday 22nd October
Emirate FA Vase 1st Round
Enfield 1893 v Coggeshall Town
FC Romania v Eynesbury
