Actually it is only eleven matches with the semi-finals being held at Wembley, originally for financial reasons to cover the cost of building the stadium, and probably still a controversial decision with many fans.

In what was a feisty and niggly match against a physical opposition in Hollands & Blair FC, it took a single goal courtesy of our captain Conor Wilford conjuring up a another cup tie winning free kick in the second half. The lads had to withstand a late push for an equaliser but did so to avoid a midweek return to Gillingham. The full match report is on the matches page here. With the replays now completed we are one of nine SCFL teams still in the FA Cup and we all face opposition from other leagues in the next round.

A first FA Cup win since 2021 takes us into the Preliminary Round and a trip down the M20 to the outskirts of Aylesford and a place called Larkfield. Our opponents are another South East Counties Football League side in Larkfield & New Hythe FC, experiencing the FA Cup for the first time following their promotion to Tier 9 last season having come close to winning promotion in the previous two seasons. They reached the Third Round Proper of the FA Vase the season before while still in Tier 9. The match will take place on Saturday 17 August at the Eden Estates Stadium, 251a New Hythe Lane, Larkfield, Kent, ME20 6PU. A replay, if required, will be the following week at Oakwood FC, our temporary home for the start of this season.

During the half time of Saturday's match, the question was raised as to where either Hollands or Blair were in relation to Gillingham with our hosts. The answer was 'nowhere' since they are a historic works team. There is a works team in our league Division 2 in Brighton Electricity and Loxwood faced British Airways in the cup. Cray Valley Paper Mills was formed at a paper mill that closed in 1981. Some works teams have changed their names – West Ham United for example – the most well known works team is probably the Philips Sport Vereniging in Eindhoven where the Philips company was the majority employer in the city.

So who were Hollands & Blair? They were a toolmaking company that at one time were at 127 High Street, Croydon – hard to believe these days – making an extensive range of hand tools under the 'Spiralux' brand name. Strangely under the same brand name they also made bathroom scales and under the brand names 'Krypton' and 'Lilliput' made typewriters.

In 1973 they were now located in Thornton Heath and still making hand tools as well as tooling jigs. Later that decade they were at sites in Gillingham hence the team, and, amazingly, also in Edenbridge. It seems that they put a post code on some tools which puts the Edenbridge location as the area around the fire station. Spiralux became the company name and at some point they were bought by James Neill Tools of Sheffield, which now trades as Spear & Jackson. However, in their Eclipse tool range the Spiralux names lives on as a range of riveting tools for snap head or 'pop' rivets.