Newark and Sherwood United FC to face Grantham Town FC in the first qualifying round of the 2024/25 FA Cup, kickoff at 3pm this Saturday, August 31, at South Kesteven Sports Stadium in Grantham

It promises to be a weekend to remember as the ‘magic of the FA Cup’ is set to take hold in one of the biggest derby games of the season.

This Saturday (August 31), Newark and Sherwood United and Grantham Town will meet in the first qualifying round of the 2024/25 FA Cup, marking a significant milestone for both clubs and their supporters.

With more than 150 years of sporting heritage, the FA Cup is the oldest national football competition in the world and the two sides are eager to write their own names into the history books.

The Highwaymen will head to the home of The Gingerbreads at the South Kesteven Sports Stadium in Grantham, for a 3pm kickoff.

It has been a year of upheaval and uncertainty for United who were forced to up sticks earlier at the end of the 2023/24 season when their ground share agreement with Collingham came to an end — the search goes on for a permanent home.

Currently ground sharing with Harrowby United, the side comes into the clash off the back of a convincing 2-0 win against Rushton and Diamonds in the initial preliminary rounds of the cup.

Grantham Town, however, are no strangers to the competition, reaching the first round proper on many occasions including 2003/04 season.

This highly-anticipated cup fixture promises to be a competitive match on the field, but also a celebration of the people that help grassroots football clubs to thrive as fans from both sides are expected to turn out in large numbers.

If Newark and Sherwood are victorious they will advance to the second qualifying round, to be played on September 14.

But it will be a long road ahead, with two further rounds of qualifying, before potentially meeting League Two and League One sides in the first round proper, or Championship and Premier League Sides in the FA Cup third round.