IF Needham Market manager Danny Laws needs any help in judging how his young team is progressing, yesterday's FA Vase second round draw will give him every indication.

By Mike Bacon

IF Needham Market manager Danny Laws needs any help in judging how his young team is progressing, yesterday's FA Vase second round draw will give him every indication.

Just two weeks after losing their unbeaten league tag to Wroxham, Laws' side face the Yachtsmen once more, this time in the Vase. It is a tough draw but one Laws is relishing.

“The one positive spin I put on it, is that it's a way to see if we learnt anything last time we played them,” he said. “And of course it will be a good measure of how our young team is progressing. They beat us fair and square in the league meeting a couple of weeks ago and we had no complaints. But we will just have to see how much we are improving.”

For Laws' assistant, Chris Tracey, the FA Vase is a competition with many memories.

As a player with AFC Sudbury Tracey was involved in numerous Vase runs and three finals, although he was left out of the squad in the third one at White Hart Lane against Didcot.

“The Eastern Counties League has a good tradition in the Vase,” Laws added. “I like cup football and the Vase is a competition clubs at our level can win.”

Ipswich Wanderers continued their magnificent Vase form with victory against high-flying Soham on Saturday. They now face a trip to Hertfordshire against Brimsdown Rovers.

Woodbridge travel to Spartan South Midlands League side Leverstock Green, while Stanway will need to overcome Burnham Ramblers to get a crack at Hounslow Borough.

Mildenhall travel to Broxbourne Borough V&E, while Newmarket travel to Fakenham. Kirkley entertain Cogenhoe from the United Counties League Premier Division.

Lowestoft look to have as easy a tie as you could get at this stage of the competition. Now down to the final 64, the Blues travel to St Neots, who have lost eight of their 11 league games so far, including an 8-0 defeat to Kirkley's opponents Cogenhoe in a league encounter.

THE draw for the second round of the FA Vase includes the following matches involving Ridgeons League clubs:

Brimsdown Rovers v Ipswich Wanderers, Broxbourne Borough V&E v Mildenhall Town, Ely City or Wisbech Town v Boston Town, Edgware Town v Saffron Walden Town, Fakenham Town v Newmarket Town, Halstead Town v Eton Manor, Kirkley v Cogenhoe United, Leverstock Green v Woodbridge Town, St Neots Town v Lowestoft Town, Stanway Rovers or Burnham Ramblers v Hounslow Borough, Wembley or Northampton Spencer v Thetford Town, Wroxham v Needham Market

Matches to be played Saturday, November 18, with prize money of £1,000 awaiting the winning teams