THE decision of the Kingsley Healthcare SIL to enter the FA Inter-League Cup is to be applauded.

This is the first time they have taken part in this two-season competition and with Suffolk football doing itself proud in national competitions over the last decade or so it is another chance for this part of the world to express itself on a wider stage.

And there could be a glamorous European trip in it for the SIL boys.

There are bags of talent in the SIL despite the formation of a second division in the Ridgeons League within the last 20 years.

The SIL has retained its status and the Senior Division must surely be one of the strongest step seven divisions in the country.

Now they have a chance to prove it.

But the rather unexpected decision to play a preliminary round match before the end of this season has thrown a bit of a spanner in the works.

The game against Bedfordshire County League has been set for Saturday April 2 at Millfield, Hadleigh United with a 2.30pm kick-off.

This could well affect team selection with a number of clubs still some way behind with their fixtures after wintry December weather and no doubt rather reluctant to give up a valued Saturday league fixture.

And Omnico Cup semi-finals are scheduled to be played on that day.

Hard working league official David Mayes admitted: “The match has rather been sprung on us.

“We weren’t expecting to have to play a round this season.”

League chairman Keith Norton is co-ordinating arrangements and a manager will be announced and a squad selected.

If the SIL are successful on April 2 they will be away to the Reading League or the Kent County League in the next round early next season.

Forty eight leagues have entered with the winner qualifying for the UEFA Regions Cup, last played in Croatia.

The three previous winners have been the Isle of Man League (2006), Southern Amateur League (2008) and the Guernsey Senior County League (2010).