(Photo courtesy of flysouthbysouth.blogspot.co.uk)
If The Wells can overcome Highworth Town at Culverden next Saturday in the FA Vase replay, it’ll be back to Wiltshire again – this time near Bath for a fourth consecutive away tie in the last 16. Bradford Town await the winner after today’s FA Vase Fifth Round Draw at FA Headquarters - the tie will be played on February 7th.
Bradford currently sit 8th in the Western League Premier Division table having won 9, drawn 5 and lost 6 of their opening 20 league matches. They started their Vase campaign this year in the First Qualifying Round and reached the Fifth Round by beating Old Abbotonians 7-1 (away), Andover Town 4-0 (home), Malmesbury Victoria 5-3 (home), Chippenham Park 2-1 AET (away), Odd Down 4-3 (home) and Melkesham Town 3-1 (home).
Vase fever was catching on over by the Avon on Saturday as 621 turned up to watch their tie with local rivals Melkesham ( three short of matching the day’s top Vase crowd).
"I would have loved to have seen a possible home draw, but the reality is we have a big task on our hands this Saturday,” first team boss Martin Larkin told www.tunbridgewellsfc.com. “There is no point thinking about Bradford until we have beaten Highworth and that task is where all our thoughts and energy will be this week.
“What do we have to do better and what do we have to stop them from doing to make sure we give ourselves the chance to then think about Bradford and the next round? Those are all thoughts that we’ll be addressing this week.
“The most important thing now is to fill the ground. This Saturday will all be about creating an atmosphere. We need as many fans in the ground as we possibly can to help drive us on. The Vase is special for both fans and players alike and it has brought us all closer together. Now we need each other this week.
“Highworth were very good on Saturday and their challenge is to play better than that following the journey. We know we can play better as we were awful at times. We won't perform at such a low level again this week, so get your friends, family and colleagues down to the ground Saturday to cheer us on."
Two other SCEFL sides have booked their place in the last 16 already. Erith & Belvedere were rewarded for their 1-0 win over Yaxley on Sunday with an away trip to Holbeach United in Lincolnshire, while Phoenix Sports have been handed another long journey, and after beating Bodmin 2-0 in Cornwall on Saturday now face a tough trip to the North East where they’ll play North Shields. Ashford United will play Norwich United at Homeland’s on Tuesday night in their Fourth Round game, and if they win, they’ll face Ascot United away.
The full Fifth Round Draw is as follows:
1 Bradford Town v Highworth Town/Tunbridge Wells
2 AFC St Austell v Stanway Rovers
3 Ascot United v Ashford United/Norwich United
4 Walsall Wood/Shaw Lane Aquaforce v Flackwell Heath
5 Worksop Town/Glossop North End v Dunston UTS
6 Holbeach United v Erith & Belvedere
7 North Shields v Phoenix Sports
8 Chadderton/AFC Mansfield v Tadcaster Albion