We take on another of our old friends from the Eastern Counties league this Saturday at 3.00pm when Woodbridge Town are our visitors in an FA Cup Preliminary Round tie. It has been over six years since the sides last met, but if previous clashes are anything to go by, we could be in for a classic this weekend.
Like ourselves, it took a replay and extra time for the Woodpeckers to get past their opponents in the previous round. They eventually overcame Cornard United by a 4-2 scoreline, but league points have so far eluded the Suffolk side. Last Saturday they went down 0-5 at home to Mulbarton Wanderers after earlier losing 0-3 at home to Thetford Town, who we overcame in the previous round of the FA Cup. However, as Mark Critoph says in his honest and frank programme notes for the game, “League standings mean nothing in a one-off game and the boys are going to have to be on their game today.”
We have played Woodbridge Town on 11 previous occasions, the last of which was at Woodbridge in January 2019 and was one of only three defeats we suffered that season on our way to lifting the Eastern Counties League Championship. Earlier that same season we played the Woodpeckers in a FA Vase Second Round tie in one of the most remarkable games seen at Bridge Road this century. The tie ended in a 5-4 win for the Stutes, but only after a night of high drama and a flurry of late goals. In all, the sides have met on 11 occasions with the Stutes winning 7, Woodbridge 3 and one ending in a draw.
Several of our young guns got valuable game-time at Yaxley in midweek and acquitted themselves well. Whether the management team chose to field a more experienced lineup on Saturday remains to be seen, but changes may be required after Danny Setchell limped off on Tuesday night. Forward options are looking a little thin on the ground at present, which could mean another opportunity for Dawid Siek to spearhead the attack.
Both sides will be keen to get their hands on the guaranteed £2,194 from the FA Prize Fund should they reach the next round, so we can expect the respective Financial Directors of each club to be on edge throughout the game.
Season tickets will NOT be valid for Saturday’s game. Admission is at the usual rate of £10 adults, £6 concessions and £2 for 12 to 17-year-olds. Accompanied under 12s are admitted for free. The bar will be open from 1.00pm and the food bar will be serving all the usual favourites. If the game ends in a draw after 90 minutes, the replay will be at Woodbridge the following Tuesday night.
With the return of the Premier League this weekend, you may wish to watch a top-flight game on the TV in the bar as a prelude to the action on the pitch. But talking of the Premier league, our own Histon FC Stutes League is again operating within the Fantasy Premier League game this season. You can access the FPL HERE and the code for joining the Stutes League is x1jipu. Why not test your football managerial skills against fellow Histon fans or just try to beat last year’s winner Jamie Smith. It’s all just for fun, but surely we can’t let Jamie win it for a second year, can we?
