Long Melford, Hadleigh United, Halstead Town and Cornard United all begin road to Wembley in Buildbase FA Vase this weekend

The road to Wembley, via the Buildbase FA Vase, begins again for Long Melford, Hadleigh United, Halstead Town and Cornard United in the first round qualifying this weekend, writes Alex Moss.

The quartet of Thurlow Nunn League clubs will have to come through nine rounds to reach the showpiece final of the national competition, on May 17 next year.

Jamie Bradbury hopes it will be third-time lucky as he goes in search of his first Vase win as Melford boss, when his side host Little Oakley at Stoneylands on Saturday (3pm).

The Villagers have tasted 2-1 defeats at the first hurdle to Halstead and Baldock Town in the last two seasons, with their last success in the competition a 3-1 victory over Cornard in the first round qualifying back in 2015/16.

“We’re looking forward to it,” Bradbury said. “The FA Vase is similar to the FA Cup, everyone likes to be involved in it. The Vase gives clubs at our level a more realistic chance to get to Wembley.

“In the FA Cup there’s more than 700 teams in it. The Vase has a smaller pool of clubs and we’re one of the clubs at the highest level in it, playing at Step 5.

“Little Oakley have come up from the Border League and are in the South division of the Thurlow Nunn, one level below us.

“They’re a really good club who have ambitions to keep progressing.”

Melford’s Premier Division rivals Hadleigh will also enjoy home comforts in the Vase this weekend, as they entertain Spartan South Midlands League Division One outfit Stotfold on Saturday (3pm).

The Brettsiders enjoyed a fine run to the quarter-finals of the Vase back in 2012/13, followed by reaching the last 16 a year later, but have bowed out in the qualifying rounds in each of the last four seasons.

Christian Appleford’s men will be buoyed after picking up their first win of the campaign last time out, thrashing previously-unbeaten Haverhill Rovers 6-2 last Saturday.

“If we perform like we did on Saturday then we’ll be a match for anyone,” the Hadleigh boss said.

“It’s come at a good time as we’ve had two positive results. I missed the FA Cup game, so I’m looking forward to it. Hopefully we can get through.”

Elsewhere, First Division North side Cornard have a miserable recent record in the Vase, having lost their last 11 ties and are without a win in the competition since 2008/09, when they enjoyed a club-best run to the second round.

For Dave Childs, the Ards’ boss, it will be his first taste of the Vase, when they visit White Ensign on Sunday (3pm), the tie being held at Burroughs Park, the home of Great Wakering Rovers.

“It’s all new for me, but I take it game by game and prepare for every game like it’s a cup final,” Childs said.

“It’s the biggest cup competition for us, as the other one, the FA Cup, we’re not in.

“At the moment we’re up and down like a rollercoaster. It’s a really hard time of year with players being away on holidays.

“We had seven players missing for Downham on Saturday, but everyone is back this weekend.

“It’s a really good camp, we’re positive and all on the same wavelength.”

Meanwhile, First Division South high-flyers Halstead welcome Haverhill Borough to the Millbank Stadium on Saturday (3pm).

The Humbugs, who reached the fourth round of the Vase in successive years in 1993/94 and 1994/95, face a trip to Hadleigh in the next round if both sides come through this weekend.