FA Vase Second Round previews as Windsor face Eastbourne rematch

The Buildbase FA Vase trophy.
The Buildbase FA Vase trophy.

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Three Berkshire clubs are in FA Vase action on Saturday as Ascot United and Binfield continue their journey’s while Windsor embark on theirs having been given a bye to the Second Round after last seasons run to the fifth round.

Both Windsor and Binfield are at home with Ascot on the road as three of 64 Second Round fixtures. The winning sides will pocket £900, the losing side, £300.

The draw for the last 32, as it stands should be on Monday 4th November at 1pm.

Abbey Rangers vs Ascot United

Addlestone Moor, KT15 2QH – Kick off: 3pm

Louis Bouwers playing for Ascot United against Abbey Rangers. Photo: Neil Graham / ngsportsphotography.com

The all Combined Counties Premier Division tie takes the Yellamen to Surrey where they will face Abbey Rangers for the second time in eight days.

Ascot won that fixtures 2-1 thanks to goals from Ian Davies and Jonny Denton and will be slight favourites though league positioning leaves very little between the two sides as the Yellamen look to emulate the sides of 2012/13 and 2014/5 that reached the Quarter Finals.

Prediction time:

Binfield vs Redhill

Hill Farm Lane, RG42 5NR – Kick off: 3pm

Josh Howell. Photo: Neil Graham / ngsportsphotography.com

In form Binfield brushed aside the not out-of-form Windsor 5-0 on Tuesday night and it’s difficult to see anything other than progression for the Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division side against Combined Counties League Premier Redhill who currently sit second bottom of the division.

That’s not to say upsets don’t happen as the Moles discovered last season when they were knocked out by then Wessex League Division One side AFC Stoneham.

Prediction time:

Windsor vs Eastbourne Town

Stag Meadow, St Leonards Road, SL4 3DR – Kick off: 3pm

A rerun of the 2017/18 Fourth Round tie that saw the Royalists reach the Quarter Finals before losing to eventual finalists Stockton Town.

That was an away day most Windsor fans won’t have forgotten with Mick Woodham’s side 1-0 down since the 27th minute, only for a Kieran Knight penalty in the 73rd minute to swing the fixture and further strikes from Nadir Shafi and Matt Stockhill making it a 3-1 win.

New boss Mark Cooper has promised to take the competition seriously, saying to the Windsor Observer: “I would suspect that the emphasis every year at this club is the FA Vase as well as the league, so it’s a big competition for us and we want to do well.

“It’s another big game for us and we will certainly take it very seriously. We will look to be as strong as we can for it, as we do every week.”

The Royalists have home advantage this time around but come up against an Eastbourne side top of the Southern Combination League Premier Division leaders who are currently unbeaten in the league this season.

Prediction time:

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