AFC Mansfield will play their second qualifying round FA Cup tie against former football league opponents Boston United on Saturday but the match will be played behind closed doors with the Pilgrims considered as ‘Elite Level’ by the government who have inflicted restrictions to stop supporters attending matches in the top six levels of English football.
Boston, who play in the National League North are currently having works on a new stadium and will play the match at Gainsborough Trinity’s Northolme Stadium, a side who ironically Mansfield beat in the last round to get this far.
At the Forest Town Arena the Bulls saw off Trinity 3-0 with Ross Duggan, Phil Buxton and Ben Agar scoring to round off a convincing cup upset but a step up in class against Boston will ensure a hard game ahead for the Northern Counties East side. The match will be available through BBC Radio Lincolnshire.
AFC Mansfield aren’t the only Nottinghamshire based club in the FA Cup this weekend as going strong in their first ever year in the competition is Newark FC of the Midland Football League.
The former Flowserve side changed their name in the summer and have for a couple of years invested in infrastructure to allow them to challenge the higher echelons of non-league football and this season the side have been in fantastic form winning all three of their league games so far.
The Tangerines who include the likes of Ben Hutchinson, Kevin Bastos, Francois Zoko and Craig Westcarr with football league experience have also gone well in the cup, beating Deeping Rangers 4-0 in the extra preliminary round, they beat Maltby Main 4-0 in the preliminary round and trounced AFC Rushden & Diamonds of the Southern League Premier Division (two steps higher) 5-0 in the first qualifying round.
Newark travel to Mickleover of the Northern Premier League tomorrow afternoon with fans very much in attendance – 600 in total will be allowed through the gates so advise is to get to the ground early.
Finally a third and final Notts based side involved in the FA Cup tomorrow is Worksop Town who host Chester City of the National League North (two divisions higher than the Tigers).
Worksop under Craig Parry have started their season in fine form topping the Northern Premier League South East Division with two wins from two games played. In the Cup they beat Westfields last time out with a 3-1 win in Herefordshire.
Tomorrows match at Sandy Lane is like those above a 3pm kick off. Supporters of Worksop Town only will be able to attend the match with an ID check on arrival.
*Main image @bostonunited the cup in its glory at Wembley Stadium – venue of the final.
