Our 2025/26 FA Cup run begins with a first round tie against Isthmian South East side Sevenoaks Town on Saturday.

With work continuing on our new artificial playing surface at the Alcaline Stadium, the match is being held at Ashford United’s Green Box Stadium.

Please note that due to competition regulations season tickets are not valid for this fixture. Supporters can purchase tickets online in advance or pay on the gate.

The Emirates FA Cup

• 747 clubs entered this season’s FA Cup, which kicked off on Friday 1st August.
• 388 clubs remain, with 359 having been eliminated over two preliminary rounds.
• Clubs across step three of the NLS enter the competition this weekend in the First Qualifying Round, with 112 ties due to be played.
• Winners of 1QR ties will take home £2,250. Losers take £750.
• Clubs from the National League North and South will enter the competition at the Second Qualifying Round stage, with National League Clubs entering at the Fourth Qualifying Round.
• The draw for the Second Qualifying Round will be published at 1pm on Monday 1st September, with ties due to be played on the weekend of 13th September.
• The highest attendance so far in this year’s competition is 1,973 – this was for Bury’s 2-0 loss to Stalybridge Celtic in a Preliminary Round replay.
• FA Vase holders Whitstable Town are the competitions top scorers with 16 goals, having beaten Lingfield 7-2 and Edgware & Kingsbury 9-0 so far.
• Fellow Kent side Sheppey United matched that 9-0 scoreline with a win over Eastbourne United in the Preliminary Round.
• Invicta have progressed beyond the 1QR stage in five of the last six seasons, reaching the Fourth Qualifying Round in both 2021 and 2022.
• Sevenoaks Town last progressed beyond the 1QR stage in 2022 when they reached the Fourth Qualifying Round, losing 2-0 to Ebbsfleet United.

Matchday Info

You can find all the matchday info ahead of tomorrow’s match here.

From The Manager

Hear from manager Jay Saunders following our win over Chatham Town on Bank Holiday Monday:

Team News

Maxx Manktelow will be unavailable for the cup tie due to the terms of his loan from Ebbsfleet United. Brad Walledge will also miss the tie through injury, but Mikey Berry is likely to return after missing Monday’s trip to Chatham.

The Opposition

Sevenoaks Town have firmly established themselves as an Isthmian South East Division side since promotion from the SCEFL as champions in 2018. The Oaks have begun their league campaign with two wins from four games, leaving them in seventh place after four games. Sevenoaks have already visited The Green Box Stadium this season, taking a point from a 2-2 draw with Ashford United earlier this month.

Recent Meetings

The sides last met in a Kent Senior Cup tie in 2018, with Sevenoaks winning 3-1 at Cheriton Road.

The club have previously met once in the FA Cup, a Preliminary Round tie in the 2008/09 season. Invicta came from 2-0 down to force a 4-4 draw in the original tie thanks to goals from Jimmy Jackson, James Everitt and Jimmy Dryden before a 4-1 in the replay at Cheriton Road with Everitt scoring a brace along with goals from Mark Green and Nick Humphrey.

The Manager

Marcel Nimani took charge of Sevenoaks Town in the summer of 2024 after departing SCEFL side Whitstable Town. Nimani was previously assistant manager to Ernie Batten at Sheppey United as The Ites won a quadruple in 2022 before departing later in the year and taking up his first managerial post on the North Kent Coast.

Last 6

02/08 – Athletic Newham (A) – Won 3-1
09/08 – AFC Croydon Athletic (H) – Lost 2-0
12/08 – Ashford United (A) – Drew 2-2
16/08 – Corinthian-Casuals (A) – Won 5-3
23/08 – Crowborough Athletic (H) – Won 1-0
25/08 – East Grinstead Town (A) – Won 2-0