Bexhill to make FA Vase bow

Bexhill United (blue and white shirt) will make their first ever appearance in the FA Vase during the coming season

The Pirates were handed a trip to Glebe in last Friday’s first round qualifying draw. The match will take place on Saturday September 6 and the winners will receive £600 in prize-money.

While Sussex County League Division Two outfit Bexhill are new to the FA Vase, Glebe - who are based in West Wickham in the London borough of Bromley - are new to senior football.

Glebe were formed in 1995 as a youth team and the 2013/14 season saw the club create a senior side for the first time in its history and they successfully applied to join the Kent Invicta Football League.

If Bexhill win that match, they will play their first ever FA Vase home game against Rochester United in second round qualifying on Saturday October 4.

Bexhill are eligible to enter the FA Vase - a prestigious national knockout competition for clubs in step five and below of The FA National League System - having met the ground grading requirements of achieving the ‘H’ Grade for their base at The Polegrove.

The club has also placed on order a hard-standing material to be laid behind the eastern goal which it hopes will satisfy the requirements for the ‘G’ Grade.

Under new manager Marc Munday, Bexhill have now been back in training for a week-and-a-half and are due to contest their opening friendly against a Hastings United XI at ARK William Parker Academy on Saturday.