With the new season rapidly approaching and a good start to our friendlies with the lads getting some goals in their boots with a 3-0 win over Guildford City, the draws for the FA competitions have been made. Before I move onto that, on Tuesday evening the eastern car park at Edenbridge – the one closest to the town – was full possibly in the belief that the western car park on the other side on the clubhouse was not accessible. The road closure is beyond the access road to the western car park so there is plenty of space available for the matches ahead starting with Forest Row.

The FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round is on 3 August and we have been drawn at home against Hollands & Blair FC from the South East Counties League Premier Division. Nice to be drawn against a team at our level this year. As the SCFL fixtures have not yet been announced we don't know if there is a fixture clash with our hosts Oakwood FC which would mean playing on either Friday evening or Sunday. At this stage in the 152 year old competition there are still replays and hopefully a visit to Hollands and Blair FC's home in Gillingham will not be required.

As per usual, the good folks at the FA have also drawn the Preliminary Round to be played on 17 August. Our opponents then would be either Larkfield & New Hythe FC or Kennington FC, who both also happen to be from the SECL and therefore the same tier as ourselves which has not happened in my time with Lingfield. In our run in the FA Vase last season we travelled down to Ditton on the M20 to play Greenways FC – well Larkfield & New Hythe play on the other side of the M20. Should it be Kennngton FC then we would be travelling to the home of Ashford United which sits out the in countryside – a long way out in the countryside – south of Ashford.

The draw for the FA Vase was also made but so far that does not involve us since our good work last season has been rewarded with entry to this season's competition at the First Round Proper to be played on 19 October.