Shane Baptiste's Woodford Town side will be looking to put last season's FA Vase misery, which saw them knocked out in the First Qualifying Round by Step Six side Lymore Gardens, behind them when Hoddesdon Town make the trip to Ashton's Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Woods will also be looking to continue their fine form in FA Competitions at the start of the 2026/27 campaign, having won all three of their ties in the Emirates FA Cup and landing themselves a spot in the Second Qualifying Round. Coincidentally, this fixture will also keep up the streak of the boys in yellow and blue facing sides only from the Home Counties (Herts, Beds, Bucks) in the early stages of the two FA Competitions, although this will come to an end next week when Mulbarton Wanderers visit IG8.

Both sides were handed a bye in the First Qualifying Round, creating a cracking all-or-nothing spectacle at this stage of the competition, with both clubs' eyes firmly set on a showpiece final at Wembley Stadium in May, as we look to follow in the footsteps of fellow Essex Senior League sides Great Wakering Rovers and Romford, who faced off in the final in the 2023/24 season.