IT’S A YEAR OF FIRSTS

SIXTEEN clubs are now just three wins away from an appearance at Wembley in what is the famous stadium’s centenary year.

Holders Newport Pagnell Town are the last remaining club to have actually appeared in a Vase final before, lifting the trophy at Wembley last May.

This means that for the 49th time in the 49th FA Vase Final there will be at least one club participating in it for the very first time.

In fact, none of the other 15 clubs still in this season’s competition have even ventured beyond the quarter-finals of the FA Vase in the past.

Another couple of distinct facts about this season’s FA Vase fifth round establish a competition first as none of the 16 clubs involved have ever faced their opponents in the competition before, nor will they face them in league action this season neither.

The lowest-ranked side still in the competition, and the last standing Step 6 side, are Brixham AFC of South West Peninsula League, who travel to Corsham Town of Hellenic League – the only tie where neither side involved have participated in the fifth round before as neither had ever progressed beyond the third round before this season.

Corsham Town are one of seven clubs that started their campaign this season in the first qualifying round and who have already won through six ties just to get this far. Two of them, Harefield United and Peacehaven and Telscombe, face each other with the winner going on to equal their best run in the competition.

This season’s top scoring club, Ascot United, are another such club and they travel to Bridgwater United in the another tie involving clubs that have both played in the fifth round before. Eccleshill United v Atherstone Town is the third such tie with the home side looking for their seventh win this campaign.

Two other clubs also looking for their seventh win are North West Counties League side West Didsbury & Chorlton and Jersey Bulls from Combined Counties League, both of whom had not gone beyond the first round before this season. Both of them must negotiate tough away trips to Coventry Sphinx and Newport Pagnell Town in order to achieve it.

Bury AFC and Congleton Town are two other North West Counties League sides with away trips, to Tring Athletic and AFC Wulfrunians respectively, with the winners each appearing in the quarter-finals for the first time.