County have a break from the relentless nature of the National League title race this weekend, as our attention returns to the Buildbase FA Trophy, and a last-16 tie with Isthmian Premier Division side Cheshunt at Edgeley Park.
Tuesday night’s thrilling second-half fightback at home to Chesterfield was enough to keep us top of the table and a point ahead of the visitors, although everyone at Edgeley Park on Saturday will no doubt have one eye on proceedings in the Spireites’ game down at Weymouth in the National League.
County have beaten Grimsby Town and Larkhall Athletic in the competition so far, 4-0 and 3-0 respectively at Edgeley Park, and are looking to reach the quarter-final for the first time since 2019.
Cheshunt meanwhile have beaten five sides already having reached this round with a stunning 3-0 away win at National League South side St Albans City last time out.
Their last league game saw them beat Leatherhead 1-0 at their ground, Theobalds Lane, bringing to an end a three game losing streak and leaving them tenth in their division.
Our Opponents:
Cheshunt currently compete in the Isthmian Premier Division, the seventh tier of English Football and the highest level they have ever played at, having been there since promotion to the division via the play-offs in 2019 under manager Craig Edwards.
They initially struggled in their first season back in Step Three, languishing in 18th place when the season was called to a halt during the first wave of the pandemic.
It was a very different story last season however as they came flying out of the traps, sitting in 2nd place after 11 games before the season was again declared null and void due to the ongoing pandemic, a decision Edwards at the time described as ‘scandalous’.
Despite that blow, the Ambers are enjoying another successful season, appearing in the last 16 of the competition for the first time in their 75-year history, after a brilliant cup run that started back in October with a 1-0 win at Corinthian Casuals.
After beating Berkhamsted by the same scoreline in the next round, The Ambers then caused their first major upset of their run by winning 2-1 away at Chelmsford City of the National League South thanks to a second-half winner from top scorer Rowan Liburd.
They were reliant on penalties in the next round to scrape past Bishop’s Stortford after a 0-0 draw at home, before that brilliant 3-0 win in a Hertfordshire derby at St Albans in the last round with Liburd again on the scoresheet with a double.
That win at Clarence Park made it 18 games unbeaten in all competitions for Edwards’ side, an extraordinary run that had lifted them to the edge of the play-off places and has them dreaming of heights never before reached at the football club.
Things have dipped slightly since that Trophy draw, with three straight defeats against Horsham, Bowers & Pitsea and Carshalton Athletic; but they bounced back from that run with a 1-0 win over Leatherhead last weekend, and will be looking for another major scalp on Saturday to cap what’s been a brilliant season so far.
One to watch:
Six foot four striker Rowan Liburd has been in brilliant form since joining the club on loan from National League South side Billericay earlier this season. The forward is Cheshunt’s top scorer in all competitions this season with 13, and has played a crucial role in their Trophy run so far with goals against Chelmsford and St Albans.
The forward is also an international teammate of County’s on-loan midfielder Lois Maynard, with five goals in nine appearances for the St Kitts and Nevis international team.
Match Stats:
- This will be the first ever competitive meeting between County and Cheshunt FC.
- County are looking to reach the quarter-final of the competition for the first time since 2019, where we reached the semi-final before losing to Dave Challinor’s AFC Fylde side.
- Sam Minihan will make his 200th Stockport County appearance if selected in this game.
