Lincolnshire’s remaining non-league clubs have discovered their next opponents after the draw for the first qualifying round of the Emirates FA Cup was completed.
A total of 112 ties will be played across the weekend of Saturday, September 5, with the first qualifying round bringing several higher-ranked non-league sides into this season’s competition. The winners of each tie will receive £2,250 from the FA Cup prize fund, while the losing clubs will collect £750. Replays remain mandatory at this stage and must be played on or before Thursday, September 10, if the initial game finishes level after 90 minutes.
Several Lincolnshire clubs have already seen their FA Cup campaigns brought to an end. Deeping Rangers were beaten 7-3 by Barton Town, Grimsby Borough lost 3-0 to Bourne Town, Skegness Town suffered a 2-0 home defeat against Retford and Grantham Town were knocked out 2-0 by Lincoln United in the extra preliminary round. Lincoln United then lost 2-0 at home to Wellingborough Town in the preliminary round, while Boston Town were eliminated following a 1-0 home defeat against Sherwood Colliery.
Bottesford Town or Bourne Town v Boldmere St Michaels
There is guaranteed to be Lincolnshire representation in tie number 26, although the identity of the home side still needs to be settled.
Bottesford Town and Bourne Town must complete their preliminary-round tie before the winner hosts Boldmere St Michaels. The visitors, based in Sutton Coldfield, play in the Northern Premier League Division One Midlands.
It presents either Bottesford or Bourne with a home fixture and an opportunity to extend their run in the competition. The unresolved preliminary-round game is one of several which must be completed before the first qualifying round takes place.
Stamford v Mickleover
Stamford will begin their FA Cup campaign at home to Mickleover in one of the standout local ties.
The Daniels will welcome their Derbyshire opponents to the Zeeco Stadium, with both clubs familiar with the demands of the higher levels of the non-league pyramid. Stamford will be hoping to make home advantage count as they look to build another cup run.
It is also a relatively short journey for the visiting support, which should help generate a healthy attendance and a competitive atmosphere.
Sherwood Colliery v Gainsborough Trinity
Gainsborough Trinity have been drawn away from home, with the Holy Blues travelling to Nottinghamshire to face Sherwood Colliery.
Trinity enter the competition at this stage and will be expected to approach the tie with ambitions of reaching the later qualifying rounds. They have enjoyed several memorable FA Cup runs in the past and will now begin their latest campaign against opponents from lower down the non-league system.
Sherwood have home advantage and will see the game as an opportunity to claim an upset, meaning Gainsborough cannot afford to take the tie lightly.
The full draw contains 112 fixtures and can be viewed through the FA’s official draw document.
First qualifying-round fixtures are scheduled for 3 pm on Saturday, September 5, although clubs involved in ground-sharing arrangements may move their games to Friday evening or Sunday. The second qualifying round will follow on September 19, with the competition gradually moving towards the first round proper on November 7.
The rest of the Lincolnshire clubs will enter the competition in later rounds. Spalding United, as a National League North side, will join in the second qualifying round on September 19, while no new teams enter at the third qualifying stage. Boston United and Scunthorpe United will begin their campaigns in the fourth qualifying round on October 17 alongside the other National League clubs.
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