FA Vase Fourth Round Draw: Rugby v Lakenheath

Rugby Town have been drawn at home to Eastern Counties Premier League side Lakenheath in the FA Vase Fourth Round.

Rugby started the competition in the First Qualifying Round back in September at Coventry Copsewood before victories over AFC Wulfrunians, Belper United, Hinckley Leicester Road and the penalty shootout win over Stourport Swifts on Saturday have seen Valley qualify for the last 32 for the first time since 1984.

Lakenheath based in West Suffolk play at the same level of the non-league pyramid as Rugby and are currently sitting 14th in the table with five wins from their 20 league games so far.

The Heath had never been past the Second Qualifying Round in their previous two FA Vase campaigns and have made it this far this year thanks to wins over Downham Town, Mildenhall Town, Norwich CBS and lastly Shefford Town & Campton at the weekend.

The match will be played at Butlin Road on Saturday 15 January 2022.

FA Vase

Valley famously won the FA Vase in 1983 with a 1-0 win over Halesowen Town at the old Wembley Stadium.

The last time Rugby won through to the Fourth Round Proper was the following season when Hucknall Colliery Welfare knocked out Valley in 1984.

Due to being promoted to the Southern League, Rugby then had a 32-year hiatus from the competition before returning to play in 2017-18 after relegation to the Midland Football League.

Since re-joinin the Vase in 2017, Valley have only made it as far as the Second Round on two occassions before this season.