The world’s greatest domestic cup competition returns to the Kuflink Stadium as the Fleet face Slough Town in the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Qualifying round this weekend.
Last season, the Fleet made it to the Second Round of the competition for the first time in 20 years, while Slough have never got past that stage – but that’s too far away for either side to think about yet.
Last time out in the Emirates FA Cup
The Fleet suffered a narrow defeat to League One Fleetwood Town last November and it was a cup run to remember. The journey began at the Kuflink with a derby win against Dover Athletic bringing up a first ever trip to Hanwell Town. And then the last of the qualifying rounds came back to the Kuflink Stadium with the Fleet hosting Sevenoaks Town. A 2-0 win in that one boosted the Fleet’s record of first round appearances to five times in the last six seasons. FC Halifax Town were next up and despite the Shaymen then being in the league above, goals from Rakish Bingham and Toby Edser acquired that Second Round spot.
Current form
Slough sit 20th in the National League South but are unbeaten in the last four league matches, having lost most of their early games this season. Their more recent positive form began with a win at Dartford and back to back draws at Farnborough and Weymouth have seen more points on the board.
Slough’s Emirates FA Cup journey
Saturday’s opponents began their cup journey in the middle of September with a trip to Hayes & Yeading United followed by a second trip, this time to Salisbury, which needed a replay at Arbour Park to settle the tie. The tie against the Fleet is Slough’s third successive draw away from home in the competition this season and they are unbeaten in the Fourth Qualifying Round on the five times they have reached it this century.
Head-to-head
This will be the first Emirates FA Cup meeting between the clubs but Fleet have won two previous cup ties against Slough in the Full Members Cup (2000) and FA Trophy (2005). Fleet have edged the meetings with the Rebels 7-6 and the two clubs have never shared a draw. Slough won at the Kuflink Stadium as recently as February 2022 (pictured below).
Who’s who?
Cardiff City loanee goalkeeper Rohan Luthra joined Slough at the beginning of the season, having made five clean sheets in 10 appearances. He became the first player of South Asian descent to play in the Championship when he made his professional debut earlier this year as a substitute for Cardiff.
Skipper Josh Jackman is a long-serving defender who made his debut back in 2016 and has 220+ appearances for the Rebels. Despite defensive duties, Jackman was joint top goalscorer for Slough last season and also won the player’s player of the season.
A new face at Arbour Park is former St Albans City midfielder Munashe Sundire who brings a vast amount of National League South experience.
The danger man is Bromley’s on-loan striker George Alexander who has landed on the scoresheet 12 times in 17 matches since his debut against the Fleet back in March. But, like fellow loanee up front Dom Hutchinson, neither has featured in the Emirates FA Cup this season so presumably do not have permission to play from their parent clubs.
The manager
Scott Davies is player-manager at Slough Town and took over the role last November following the departure of long-term joint bosses Neil Baker and Jon Underwood.
His playing duties involve mainly midfield or sometimes in the heart of defence. He originally arrived at Arbour Park in March 2018 and has made 175 appearances since, having also played in the League as well as for Oxford City and Chelmsford City.
Club connections
Former Fleet midfielder Johnny Goddard put pen to paper at Slough following a spell at St Albans in 2022 and scored twice in the last round. Goddard spent an injury-hit season at the Fleet in 2019/20 and made 21 appearances during his spell. Meanwhile, Billy Clifford is a Slough local who spent a period with the Rebels in 2019.
Tickets
This is an all-pay match so season-tickets are not valid for admission.
Tickets can be bought here online until kick-off (the match is segregated so please select HOME or AWAY options as necessary) and also on the day at our ticket windows. Car-parking is available for the special matchday price of £3 at Ebbsfleet International Car Park C. Programmes for this game are priced at £2 and can be pre ordered online with your ticket or from our online shop here. In the ground, you can purchase in the club shop, just past the main home turnstiles, at the Plough End social club and for away fans in the Old Sponsors Lounge/portakabin bar.
Turnstiles open at 1pm.
