FA Trophy
Saturday 24 October, kickoff 15:00
Erith Town will look to make their mark on the FA Trophy when they host Burgess Hill Town this Saturday, 24 October, with kick-off scheduled for 3pm. The tie represents a significant opportunity for the Kent side to progress in one of non-league football’s most prestigious cup competitions, and home advantage will be a factor they will be keen to exploit against their Sussex visitors.
The form guide
Erith Town head into this fixture in impressive fashion, having won each of their last three matches to sit on a perfect recent record. That kind of momentum is difficult to manufacture and will give the squad and their supporters genuine confidence ahead of what promises to be a competitive afternoon. Their defensive record in particular stands out, with the numbers suggesting a side that is well-organised and difficult to break down.
Burgess Hill Town arrive having also won their most recent outing, meaning both sides carry some positive energy into the tie. While the visitors’ recent sample is smaller, a winning result is always a confidence-booster ahead of a cup fixture, and manager J. Lovett will be hoping his side can carry that momentum into Kent and produce a performance to match.
The head-to-head record
| Date | Competition | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Aug 2023 | FA Cup | Burgess Hill Town | 0-0 | Erith Town |
| 22 Aug 2023 | FA Cup | Erith Town | 1-2 | Burgess Hill Town |
| 14 Jan 2025 | Non League Div One – Isthmian South East | Erith Town | 1-2 | Burgess Hill Town |
| 1 Feb 2025 | Non League Div One – Isthmian South East | Burgess Hill Town | 1-0 | Erith Town |
The recent history between these two clubs makes for interesting reading, and it does not make comfortable viewing for the Erith Town faithful. In February 2025, Burgess Hill Town claimed a 1-0 victory, and before that, in January 2025, the visitors again came out on top, winning 2-1 at Erith’s ground. Travelling further back, Burgess Hill Town also won 2-1 at Erith in August 2023, with the sides sharing a goalless draw in the reverse fixture just days earlier. On the basis of those meetings, Burgess Hill Town have demonstrated a clear ability to get the better of their opponents in this particular matchup, and Erith Town will need to find a way to reverse that trend if they are to advance.
The men in the dugout
Erith Town
Burgess Hill TownDetails regarding Erith Town’s current managerial situation remain unconfirmed at the time of writing, but whoever takes charge of the home side on Saturday will have a clear tactical challenge on their hands given the head-to-head record they are looking to overturn. For Burgess Hill Town, J. Lovett occupies the dugout and will arrive with a game plan shaped by his side’s recent winning form. His experience of this fixture, and the results it has produced for his team, will give him a degree of confidence as he prepares his side for the trip to Kent.
Players to watch
Neither side has produced a standout individual scorer in the league data available ahead of this fixture, which may point to both teams relying on collective effort and team structure rather than a single match-winner. That could make for a tightly contested tie where set pieces, defensive discipline, and moments of individual quality prove decisive. Supporters on both sides will be watching closely to see who steps up when the pressure is on in a cup environment, where the stakes are that little bit higher than a routine league afternoon.
The prediction
Bookmaker advice: Combo Winner : Burgess Hill Town and +2.5 goals
The data paints a nuanced picture ahead of this tie. Erith Town’s recent form is excellent and they carry the advantage of playing at home, but the head-to-head record weighs heavily in Burgess Hill Town’s favour, with the visitors having won the last three meetings between the sides. The win probability figures reflect that tension, pointing toward a closely contested match that could go either way, with a draw also a very real possibility.
Both attacks are rated evenly, and the defences appear similarly matched, suggesting goals may not flow freely — though the combination of two sides in winning form could yet produce an open contest. On balance, and with the historical record difficult to ignore, Burgess Hill Town look marginally the more likely side to edge through, though Erith Town’s home advantage and current momentum mean this is far from a foregone conclusion. Expect a tight, hard-fought tie that could well be decided by a single moment of quality.
Preview data via api-football. Form, head-to-head, standings, manager and prediction figures sourced live at the time of compilation; squad and team-news availability subject to last-minute change.