West Norfolk sides are back out on the FA Vase trail tomorrow as they look to progress through to the second round proper.
Downham Town and Fakenham Town have home ties against Coggeshall Town and Cockfosters respectively (3pm) while Heacham travel to Spartan South Midlands Football League leaders St Panteleimon (7.45pm).
Joint Downham boss Craig Dickson is refusing to take Essex Senior League basement boys Coggeshall lightly ahead of their visit to the SCL Memorial Field.
Dickson said: “It’s an interesting opponent. They came down from Step 4 last season and looking at the table have struggled in the league but the actual scores tell a different story.
“They seem to have been in most games, so the table probably doesn’t actually reflect their ability.
“It gives us a chance to focus on ourselves and make sure we control what we can control. It’s a game that people are excited about and hopefully we can continue to grow the support we’ve seen this season, which has been fantastic.
“We’ve already taken the club to its highest-ever level and played our first game in the FA Cup, so it would also be nice to take the club the further it has ever been in the FA Vase too.”
Downham come into the tie on the back of two successive defeats in the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division, but Dickson
“Obviously, the last two games haven’t seen us pick up the results we desire but I felt the Heacham performance was deserving of something from the game.
“Saturday we didn’t perform to our capabilities but still had chances to win the game. It was a bit of an edgy affair but credit to Walsham who defended extremely well after the first goal and killed the game on the counter attack.”
“I think people can get carried away with runs in a league and maybe expectations can change but we see ourselves as being able to mix it with the teams in and around play-offs and that remains our aim to be in with a chance with 10 games to go.”
Heacham, meanwhile, are looking to bounce back from a disappointing home defeat to Ely City and will be firm underdogs going into their first round clash which is being played at Potters Bar.
Magpies boss David Griggs said: “It has taken me a few days to get over last Saturday, I was very annoyed with our second half performance.
“We’ve got to move on quickly as we’ve now got two cup games on the horizon. St Panteleimon are top of their league so we know that we are going to have to be at it.
“It’s important that we go there and hit our levels. If we can put in another Downham-type display then they will know that they have been in a game and we are going there to cause an upset.
“The team and the fans are travelling down together on a coach so let’s hope it gets the players buzzing for the game in front of them.
“It’s another massive day for the club and we’ll have about 50 fans travelling down to support us. It’s competitions like this that bring the club and its supporters together.”
First Round winners in the FA Vase will pick up £850 while the losing side will pocket £250.
Away from the FA Vase, Swaffham Town travel to Haverhill Rovers in Thurlow Nunn First Division North.
