AFC Rushden & Diamonds Programmes V St Andrews 18/01/2014

RUSH V ST ANDREWS PROG 16/1/14 07:24 Page 13 The Step 6 clubs are today’s opponents St Andrews, Eastbourne UA from the Sussex Co League Div 2, Bodmin Town from Cornwall and Whickham of the EBAC Northern League Div 2. Yet another occasion that we can say is probably the biggest in our club’s history. They keep on coming!! We’ve reached the fourth round proper of the FA Carlsberg Vase today with the winner today just three rounds of the competition away from a Wembley experience. It’s Diamonds tenth round in this competition over two seasons having reached the third round last year and this is our fifth home draw to go with five away draws. We’ve experienced some great excitement with two lots of extra time, one replay and we’ve won twice when down to ten men. We’ve scored well in the competition with an impressive thirty three goals in ten games, hitting six against Woodford, five twice against Basford last year and Hoddesdon this year, and four twice against Fakenham in our first tie last year and four in that game at AFC Wulfrunians. Our opponents today have played in the competition for many years reaching the fifth round in 1994/95 losing to Raunds. They have played a few local sides but had limited success losing to Daventry, Raunds and Oadby, but beating Desborough. The draw has been kind to them this year with five consecutive home draws before today, only one of which was against a step 5 club. They have scored nineteen goals in their five ties and come into the game on the back of decent form like ourselves - so it really does have the makings of cracking game. We’re down to the last thirty one in the competition now and our FA Carlsberg Vase expert Douglas has come up with some great information about the FA Carlsberg Vase this year... ‘There are 27 Step 5 and four Step 6 clubs remaining in the competition, and they are well spread throughout the country. In fact 16 different leagues are represented in this round. The EBAC Northern League, as always, has the strongest representation with 6 clubs, including the current holders Spennymoor and two previous winners Dunston UTS and West Auckland. ACTIONEXTRA Action from our last home game against Boston Town The strength of the competition can be gauged from the fact that 11 of the teams are in first or second place of their respective leagues, and three are unbeaten so far this season. Larkhall Athletic of the Western League, East Preston, Sussex Co League and most interestingly Sholing of the Wessex League who finished in 7th place of the Southern League last season but for financial reasons opted to be demoted. The longest journey to be undertaken is by Bodmin who travel to Essex to play Brightlingsea Regent, a round trip of 300 miles. Our fellow UCL club Wisbech travels to Ashington, conquerors of AFC Rushden & Diamonds last season’ The Radio Diamonds team are really looking forward to bringing today’s game to those who can’t ge Ё

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