First Round

110 clubs have been accepted in to this season’s Sunday Cup. As that is not enough for a preliminary round, the competition will begin with the first round on 19^th October.

Of the 115 teams who took part last season, 45 have decided not to re-enter. There are some big names among them, including; two time champions Nicosia, Seymour and Bedfont, who contested the 1993 final, 2011 runners up Paddock and Plough FC Wellington, who pushed Oyster Martyrs to extra time in last season’s semi-final.

It’s not all doom and gloom though, as 39 sides who did not play last season, have entered this time. Several have played in the Sunday Cup before, the most notable being Comets Sports Club, who reached the semi-finals in 2011 and the quarter final in 2012 and 2013. It’s good to see them back in.

Several teams have changed their name, including Branksome Railway, who reached last season’s quarter final. They are now known as Patricks. The Molly were previously known as The Warden.

Once again, Liverpool County FA (20 teams) and the Liverpool & District league (11 teams) lead the way with the highest number of entrants. All three Cheshire side hail from the Wirral, so 23 of the 110 teams are from ‘Merseyside’. The Liverpool Business Houses league and North Home Counties league are just behind, with 9 entrants each.

Durham are the next best represented County FA with 11 teams. No surprise that interest is high up there, given that six of the last nine champions were from Durham.

I tend to stay fairly local in the first round and the game that has caught my eye is an all West Yorkshire affair between Bolton Woods (Bradford) and King George (Wakefield). It’s been a while since I’ve seen Bolton Woods and King George are making their debut. Besides them, the only Wakefield team to have competed in the Sunday Cup in my 30 years of watching it, were Redoubt, who played one game back in 2005, so King George are a bit of a collector’s item!

A first round preview will appear next month.

First Round Draw

To be played on 19th October - 2.00pm kick off

Cleator Moor v Winlaton Commercial

Hetton Lyons v Seaton Carew

Sunderland Myers v Burradon & New Fordley

Witton Park Rose and Crown v Stockton Hardwick Social

Sportsmans v Blackhall Hardwick

Sunderland RCA Grangetown Florists v North Ormesby

The Old Bank v Fantail

Bolton Woods v King George

Home & Bargan v Millhouse

Chapeltown Fforde Grene v Lobster

Campfield v Poulton Royal

Allerton v Thornhill Lees

AFC Blackburn Leisure v Windmill Kestrels

Pineapple v Canada

Black Bull v St John Fisher OB

Thornton United v Dengo United

Queens Park v Kirkdale

HT Sports v LIV Supplies

Hessle Rangers v BRNESC

The Molly v Alder

Garston v Mayfair

Attenborough Cavaliers v AFC Bush

Bilsthorpe Celtic v FC Wyvern Arms

Sporting Dynamo v OJM

Quorn Royals 2008 v Gedling Inn

Wymeswold v Nuthall

Punchbowl Old Boys v Birstall Stamford

Albion AFC v Hundred Acre

Haunchwood Sports v RHP Sports & Social

Halfway v Thurmaston PWMC

Phoenix v Priory Sports

Flamstead End v Upshire

Nirankari v New Salamis

AYFCS v Comets Sports Club

Willesden WMC v NLO

Green Man v Hammer

St Josephs (Luton) v Club Lewsey

Celtic SC (Luton) v Broadfields United

Two Touch v Brache Nation

North Wembley v FC Houghton Centre

Belstone v 61

Ajax LA v Polonia Reading

St Helier v Wrightchoice CSA

AFC Kumazi Strikers v Barnes Albion

Bar Sol Ona v Lebeqs Tavern Courage

Avon Plate v The Windmill

 

16 clubs with byes to the second round

AC Sportsman
Black Horse (Redditch)
Crawley Green
Custys
Emmer Green
Falcons
Hartlepool Lion Hillcarter
Kennelwood
Lambeth All Stars
Newton Aycliffe WMC
Northallerton Police
Patricks
Queens Head Chesham
Star & Garter
The Sheaf
West Bowling

Two clubs exempt to the second round

Humbledon Plains Farm
Oyster Martyrs

2014/15 Round Dates

First Round - 19th October
Second Round - 16th November
Third Round - 14th December
Fourth Round - 18th January 2015
Fifth Round - 15th February
Semi-Final - 15th March
Final - 26th April (provisional)

Details of the entries accepted and the draw for the First Round will be released on the FA's website on Friday 5th September.

Lets hope that the number of entrants has increased by enough teams for a Preliminary Round, which would normally take place on the third/fourth week of September.

Sunday Cup final

A big well done to Humbledon Plains Farm, as they lifted the Sunday Cup for the second time, when they beat Oyster Martyrs today at Blackburn Rovers by 5-2.

Final at Blackburn Rovers

Oyster Martyrs v Humbledon Plains Farm to be played at Ewood Park on 27th April - 2.00pm kick off.

Sunday 16th March

Semi-final results:

Humbledon Plains Farm 4 Hundred Acre 2 AET

Oyster Martyrs 3 Plough FC Wellington 2 AET

I was up at Hartlepool for the Humbledon Plains and Hundred Acre game. Humbledon were in control at 2-0 up with ten minutes to go, when two goals in three minutes (the second an astonishing effort from the half way line!) sent the tie in to extra time. A goal in each half of extra time sent Humbledon in to their third final, where they will face Oyster Martyrs, who also needed extra time in their game to secure their fourth final appearance in six years.

Sunday 2nd March

Outstanding quarter final result:
Branksome Railway 0 Plough Wellington 5

The FA Sunday Cup is now up to date! Congratulations to Plough Wellington, who will travel to Marine in a fortnight to face holders Oyster Martyrs in the semi final.

Semi Final venue

Oyster Martyrs v Branksome Railway/Plough Wellington will be played at Marine.

Humbledon Plains Farm v Hundred Acre will be played at Hartlepool United.

Games to be played on 16th March.

Sunday 23rd Feb

At the sixth time of asking, AYFCS and Plough Wellington have finally managed to play their outstanding 4th round game. Plough Wellington winning 4-2 after extra time.

Plough will now travel to Wimborne Town next Sunday where they will play Branksome Railway for a place in the semi final.

The winners of that game will travel North to play Oyster Martyrs, who beat Allerton 2-1 in their quarter final game today.

Semi Final draw

Games to be played on 16th March - 2.00pm kick off:

Humbledon Plains Farm v Hundred Acre

Allerton or Oyster Martyrs v AYFCS/Plough Wellington or Branksome Railway

Venues to be announced later. As the FA like to play Sunday Cup semi finals at Marine, I think its a safe bet that is where the Allerton/Oyster v whoever will be played.

I'm not sure which ground the FA will choose for the other semi final. The last one played up there was two years ago, when Hetton Lyons beat Oyster at Billingham Synthonia. Prior to that, Durham City and Hartlepool United have been used.

This is the third semi final for Humbledon Plains Farm. They played their first at Spennymoor in 1988, when they beat Avenue from Birkenhead. Three finals were played at Spennymoor in the 1970s, so the ground has a special relationship with the Sunday cup, so it could be played there.