The FA Vase 4th Round begins with one of the many ties where the winner will be either celebrating equalling the club’s best Vase run or celebrating setting the club’s best Vase run.
Jersey Bulls host Hamworthy Recreation at 1.0pm with the Islanders knowing that victory would equal their best Vase run to date. Hamworthy Recreation are one of two clubs still standing in this season’s competition that are participating in the Vase for the very first time.
The other debut Vase club still going is Stanway Pegasus who also travel to a club for whom victory would equal their best Vase performance, in the shape of Romford FC.
There are nine clubs in total for whom a victory would equal their best Vase run including Hallam FC (who host Silsden FC in the only tie to involve clubs from the same League), Stourport Swifts who entertain Ashby Ivanhoe who are already three rounds further than they’ve ever been before, Brixham AFC who travel to North Greenford United who are also already on a record Vase run, and Great Wakering Rovers who travel to Whitchurch Alport.
The three other clubs looking to equal their best runs are all involved in the only three ties of the round to have happened in the Vase before. Worcester City beat Lichfield City 1-0 in the 2nd Qualifying Round just last season, and this year Lichfield are already two rounds further than they have been before.
Bridgwater United travel to Farnham Town six years after Bridgwater Town won 3-2 in a 2nd Round tie. Farnham are already equalling their best Vase run by being in the 4th Round and are the joint top scorers of those clubs still in the competition.
The other joint top scorers are Cobham FC, the last of the nine clubs looking to equal their best Vase run. The Hammers travel to Deal Town having won 3-0 the last time the two clubs met in the competition 15 years ago.
Deal Town are one of only two former winners of the Vase still involved in this season’s competition, the other being Whickham FC who received a reprieve in the last round and now travel to Blyth Town from the second division of the Northern League, one of five clubs from Step 6 still standing.
The two debut clubs are also from Step 6 and are in this round alongside Hartpury University who are already equalling their best Vase run and who travel to Falmouth Town, and South Liverpool who had not progressed beyond 1st Round prior to this season and who host Lincoln United.
Holmesdale FC is another club that had never gone beyond 1st Round before this season and they entertain former Semi-Finalists Highworth Town.
The final three ties will all result in clubs setting their best ever FA Vase run, although for one of them they already claim to have appeared in a Final in the past.
Emley AFC are equalling the club’s best run since re-forming in 2005 but Emley FC were FA Vase runners-up back in 1988. The club at are home to Charnock Richard who’s previous best Vase performances have been runs to the 2nd Round in their debut campaign and again three years ago.
Walsham-le-Willows versus Tilbury FC and Hilltop FC versus Erith Town will definitely see the victors celebrating club FA Vase history. The Hilltop tie is taking place at Burnham FC.
Hilltop are one of five clubs from the Combined Counties League still involved in this season’s FA Vase, the league with the most representatives in the 4th Round.
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