Non-League Paper Programme: Key facts from the latest round of Isuzu FA Trophy

Step 3 clubs enter the Isuzu FA Trophy at this third qualifying round stage this weekend – and already the Road to Wembley is shaping up into another thrilling adventure.

They join the 40 clubs from Step 4 to progress from the previous round to make up 64 intriguing ties, starting with Bradford Park Avenue versus Heaton Stannington and Worcester City against Rugby Town on Friday night.

As compiled by our friends at Non-League Factfile, two-time winners Grays Athletic are the last ones standing of the 32 clubs that started this season’s campaign in the preliminary round.

The 2004-05 and 2005-06 winners visit Hanwell Town and are one of four former winners competing in this round alongside Canvey Island (2000-01), Bishop’s Stortford (1980-81) and Hednesford Town (2003-04).

Flying high

Indeed, Hednesford, flying high in Northern Premier League Premier division under manager Gavin Hurren, are involved in one of the ties of the round when they go to Southern League Premier Central leaders Harborough Town.

At the other end of the FA Trophy experience spectrum are seven debut clubs still involved, namely Lower Breck, Silsden, Shifnal Town, Sporting Club Inkberrow, Stanway Rovers, Hartpury and AFC Portchester – all bar one of which take on Step 3 opposition.

Hartpury have been handed a dream tie against high-flying Southern Premier South neighbours Gloucester City, similarly AFC Portchester, who can expect a big crowd at the Wicor Recreation Ground when Taunton Town visit.

Silsden and Sporting Club Inkberrow are at home, to Stocksbridge Park Steels and Stratford Town respectively, while Lower Breck and Shifnal Town face tough trips to Stockton Town and Gainsborough Trinity.

Debut

Stanway Rovers are the only debut club to face Step 4 opposition when Uxbridge make the trip to Hawthorns.

Derby days are also aplenty this weekend with Suffolk pair AFC Sudbury and Bury Town locking horns, while Bracknell Town and Hungerford Town will be vying for Berkshire honours. Local bragging rights are at stake also for Waltham Abbey v Walthamstow.

Elsewhere, there are 25 other clubs for whom victory would either equal or set a best FA Trophy run.

However, only AFC Rushden and Diamonds versus Malvern Town and Ashford United v Biggleswade FC will guarantee that outcome. Those two ties are two of five that guarantee a Step 4 club will be in the first round.

St Ives Town versus Kettering Town is the most common tie of the round with St Ives ahead by two wins to one in past Trophy games. Meanwhile, Ashton United knocked out Clitheroe in both their previous Trophy matches separated by exactly 50 years in 1970 and 2020.

Avenge

St Albans City and Bideford FC have had to wait 43 and 47 years respectively for the chance to avenge past Trophy defeats by Aveley and Dorchester Town, whilst the 7-2 win for Barwell over Bromsgrove Sporting the last time they met in the Trophy is the two clubs’ respective biggest win and heaviest defeat in the competition.

A Step 3 side has won the FA Trophy as recently as Hornchurch in the Covid year of 2020-21 – and that will give lower league clubs hope that the Road to Wembley is very much open to all.

Step 2 Spennymoor Town made it all the way to Non-League Finals Day just five months ago, giving their fans a day out they will never forget. Dreams do come true.

Isuzu FA Trophy Third Round Qualifying

Hyde United v Warrington Town

Ashton United v Clitheroe

Dunston v Warrington Rylands

Workington v FC United of Manchester

Stockton Town v Lower Breck

Silsden v Stocksbridge Park Steels

Runcorn Linnets or Bury v Morpeth Town

Widnes v Bamber Bridge (walkover – Widnes withdrawn)

Bridlington Town v Guiseley

Bradford (Park Avenue) v Heaton Stannington (Fri)

Whitby Town v Hebburn Town

Prescot Cables v Lancaster City

Evesham United v Ilkeston Town

Gainsborough Trinity v Shifnal Town

Barwell v Bromsgrove Sporting

Sporting Club Inkberrow v Stratford Town

Rushall Olympic v Spalding United

Anstey Nomads v Stourbridge

Quorn v Corby Town

Real Bedford v Stamford

AFC Rushden & Diamonds v Malvern Town

Halesowen Town v Leek Town

St Ives Town v Kettering Town

Worcester City v Rugby Town (Fri)

Basford United v Alvechurch

Harborough Town v Hednesford Town

Cleethorpes Town v Redditch United

Stanway Rovers v Uxbridge

Royston Town v Welling United

Hanwell Town v Grays Athletic

Westfield v Brentwood Town

Leatherhead v Ramsgate

Aveley v St Albans City

Carshalton Athletic v Cheshunt

Broadbridge Heath v Billericay Town

Hadley v Dartford

Harrow Borough v Witham Town

Lewes v Leiston, Cray Valley (PM) v Berkhamsted

AFC Sudbury v Bury Town

Chertsey Town v Tilbury

Burgess Hill Town v Potters Bar Town

Bishop’s Stortford v Cray Wanderers

Wingate & Finchley v VCD Athletic

Chatham Town v Needham Market

Ashford United v Biggleswade

Hayes & Yeading United v Walton & Hersham

Sittingbourne v Hashtag United

Waltham Abbey v Walthamstow

Whitehawk v Canvey Island

Dulwich Hamlet v Hendon

AFC Dunstable v Folkestone Invicta

Bracknell Town v Hungerford Town

Basingstoke Town v Shaftesbury

Hartpury v Gloucester City

Plymouth Parkway v Gosport Borough

Dorchester Town v Bideford

Thame United v Banbury United

Bishop’s Cleeve v Sholing

Yate Town v Poole Town

AFC Portchester v Taunton Town

Chichester City v Farnham Town

Havant & Waterlooville v Tiverton Town

Wimborne Town v Weymouth