Helston Athletic's under-18s will take on Brockenhurst for a place in the first round proper of the FA Youth Cup.

The Blues, managed by Martyn Daughtery and Stu Giles, will welcome the Wessex League Premier Division side to Kellaway Park in what will be Helston's first-ever home tie in the competition, with the game due to be played in the week beginning Monday, October 14.

Cornwall on the national stage

Victory over the Hampshire side would see Helston reach the first round proper of the FA Youth Cup for the very first time.

That is where the first batch of English Football League big boys enter the fray, with all League One and Two clubs beginning their campaigns.

The tournament is still regionalised at that stage, but the Blues could still come up against the likes of Plymouth Argyle, who dumped out Manchester City in the same competition two seasons ago, or 2007/08 FA Cup winners Portsmouth.

If the tantalising prize listed above is not enough, the tie with Brockenhurst will be Helston's first home tie in the competition, following four successive trips to Somerset or Bristol over the last two seasons.

With the Blues being the first Cornish team to compete in the tournament since St Austell in 1957/58, this tie will give the Cornish public the rare opportunity to witness a Duchy youth team in an elite national competition.

How did the Blues get here?

As mentioned above, Helston have have been on the road in each of their four previous FA Youth Cup ties. Victory in their competition debut at Weston-super-Mare in the preliminary round in September 2018 was followed by defeat to Odd Down in the first round proper.

They were due to open their 2019/20 campaign at Longwell Green Sports in this year's preliminary round, but were handed a walkover after the Gloucestershire side withdrew from the competition.

That set up a trip to Western League Premier Division side Street in the first qualifying round, with the Blues prevailing 4-3 on penalties at The Tannery last Tuesday (September 24).

Lewis Tonkin had given Helston an early lead with a stunning strike from distance, but Jakob Dickens headed the home side level midway through the first half.

There were no further goals in the 90 minutes, and with 30 minutes of extra-time still not producing a winner, the game went to penalties.

Both sides converted their first kicks before Harrison Jewell struck the bar with Helston’s second. Kieran Daughtery got the Blues back in it with a fine save from Street’s next kick, with Tom Hands levelling it by converting Helston’s next penalty. Both teams successfully converted penalties four and five before Kyle Strange sent Street’s sixth spot kick over the bar, with Ollie Classey sending the ‘keeper the wrong way to seal the Blues’ progression.

The Blues headed back up the M5 on Wednesday to face Brislington, again of the Western League Premier, but enjoyed a more comfortable path to progression on that occasion, running out 5-0 winners in the second qualifying round.

The score was goalless at the break at Brislington Stadium, but the Cornish club took the lead four minutes into the second half when Alex Wharton fired into the bottom corner.

Jewell doubled the lead six minutes later with a fine header from a corner, before substitute Oscar Marks put the Blues in firm control of the tie with 18 minutes to play when his powerful shot proved too hot for home goalkeeper Ben Payter to handle.

Helston extended their lead further just two minutes later with an excellent goal from Wharton, who rode two tackles and rounded Payter before firing in from close range, with Wharton completing his hat-trick with a powerful, low finish with five minutes to go.

Who are Brockenhurst?

Standing in Helston's way of a dream first round proper tie is Wessex League Premier Division side Brockenhurst.

Known as the Badgers, Brockenhurst FC are based in its namesake village in the New Forest in Hampshire, with their Grigg Lane ground some 208 miles away from Helston's Kellaway Park.

The Badgers opened their 2019/20 FA Youth Cup account with a thumping 15-1 win at home to Wessex League Division One side Pewsey Vale in the preliminary round on September 5. Toby Bailey and Bourhane Mantoug grabbed four goals apiece, with Samuel Shearer also scoring a hat-trick in the thrashing.

Leo Colmer scored two, with Freddie Bullard and Reece Piner also netting.

It was a much closer affair in their first qualifying round tie at AFC Totton two weeks later, with Bullard scoring a hat-trick as the Badgers came from behind to win 4-3 at Testwood Stadium.

Brockenhurst were victorious by the same score in Wednesday's second round qualifying tie at Wimborne Town of the Southern League Premier South, with Bullard, Mantoug, Bailey and Shearer all netting again to set up his side's trip to Cornwall.

Brockenhurst's first team are currently second in the Wessex League Premier, which is one step above the South West Peninsula League Premier West.

Third qualifying round draw in full:

Litherland Remyca v FC Halifax Town

Stockport County v Hartlepool United

Wrexham v Eccleshill United or Sheffield

Morpeth Town or Workington v AFC Fylde

Athersley Recreation v Chester

Guiseley v Curzon Ashton

Harrogate Railway Athletic v Nantwich Town

South Shields v Harrogate Town

Long Eaton United v Racing Club Warwick

Basford United or Grantham Town v Notts County

Romulus v Chesterfield

Deeping Rangers v Haughmond

Stafford Rangers or Lye Town v Rugby Town

Rushall Olympic v Rugby Borough

Ware v Needham Market

Hitchin Town v King’s Lynn Town

AFC Dunstable v Dereham Town

Stotfold v Bowers & Pitsea or Concord Rangers

AFC Sudbury v Hornchurch

Woodford Town v Redbridge or Brentwood Town

K Sports v Dulwich Hamlet or Hastings United

Hemel Hempstead Town v Bedfont Sports or Reading City

Dover Athletic v Hanworth Villa

Barnet v Camberley Town or Easington Sports

Uxbridge v Knaphill

Mile Oak or Sutton United v Hackney Wick or Croydon

Dorking Wanderers v Dartford

Sutton Common Rovers v Leverstock Green or Chipstead

Maidenhead United v Cray Wanderers

Aveley v Bromley

Chertsey Town v Kingstonian

Bath City v Slimbridge

Mangotsfield United v Eastleigh

AFC Stoneham v Hereford

Helston Athletic v Brockenhurst

Yeovil Town v Andover Town

Bridgwater Town v Oxford City

  • If you are unable to make it to the Helston v Brockenhurst tie, you will be able to follow live text coverage of the game on the Packet website instead. The tie will kick-off at 7pm, with extra-time and penalties to be played if necessary.