FA Cup draw Lambs are heading to Cornwall

THE early rounds of this season’s FA Cup have been drawn and the Lambs will start their journey in the extra preliminary round with a trip to South West Peninsula League side AFC St Austell.

The match will take place at Poltair Park on Saturday, August 7 with a 3pm kick-off and the winners will progress to the preliminary round stage, where they have been drawn away to Southern League Division One South side Mangotsfield Town.

Giving his reaction to the draw, Lambs boss Stuart Henderson said: “It would have been nice to have had a home draw, but they are a team from the level below and it gives us a chance of progress.

“I understand that St Austell are a young and energetic side and St Austell have a difficult pitch, which they will know far better than us, so it will be a difficult game, but it is one that we are looking forward to.

“Obviously we have to focus on that game first, but if we were to win, then we face Mangotsfield, who we played and beat at Langsford Park last season.

“You don’t know what’s gone on with squads over the summer, so we don’t know much about them – or St Austell – so we will worry about us and hopefully we can progress through a few rounds, all being well.

“We enjoy the FA Cup and have had some good runs recently and done better than a lot of non-league clubs in our area. To be fair, the away games are often a lot more fun and if we get the right result, it will be a colourful trip home!”

The Lambs hosted Mangotsfield in the FA Cup preliminary round last season and were 2-1 winners. Tyler Elliott gave us the lead with a screamer from the edge of the box and after Marcus Kelly had equalised, Jack Crago popped up with the winning goal 16 minutes from time.

We then hosted Gosport Boro in the first qualifying round, but lost 5-3 on penalties after a thrilling 202 draw under the lights at Langsford Park.

Other preliminary round ties of note involving local clubs are: Brixham or Bridgwater v Ilfracombe Town or Wellington AFC, Willand Rovers v Millbrook or Saltash United, Buckland Athletic or Exmouth Town v Bristol Manor Farm, Frome Town v Paulton Rovers, Bideford v Barnstaple Town, Mousehole or Helston Athletic v Plymouth Parkway.

Winners of the extra preliminary round will receive £1,125 in prize money with the losers collecting £275. Victors in the preliminary round will collect £1,444 with the losing club pocketing £481.

The draw for the first two rounds of the FA Vase have also been made, but while many of our non-league rivals were involved, the Lambs are exempt until the third qualifying round stage, due to the club reaching the fifth round last season.