Cup joy for Burnham and Windsor & Eton as both progress to FA Vase Third Round

Archie Cunningham. Photo: Burnham FC

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Hythe Town 1, Burnham 1 (Burnham win 4-3 on penalties).

Burnham and Windsor & Eton have advanced to the next round of the FA Vase, but both were made to work hard for their place in this afternoon’s (Monday) third round draw.

Mo and Omz Bakali’s Blues were slightly short on match practice heading into Saturday’s game at Hythe Town, having only played twice since October 25.

But they managed to summon the spirit to come from behind against their Southern Counties East League Premier Division rivals before Archie Cunningham saved two penalties to send the Blues through 4-3 on spotkicks.

Burnham have slipped to fourth in the Combined Counties Premier Division North but have at least one match in hand on most of the teams above them, and they’ll be encouraged by the character they showed to come through Saturday’s tough tie at Hythe.

Steadman Callender (8') fired the home side in front inside the opening 10 minutes, but summer signing Jordan Brown managed to drag the Blues level just after the interval, and with the tie going straight to penalties, the visitors needed a hero to help them through to the third round.

Step forward goalkeeper Cunningham who saved two of Hythe’s spot kicks to send his side through.

This is the furthest Burnham have been in the competition for two seasons and the players celebrated in the changing room after the final whistle.

This is what it means…

Well done @archiecl13 , congratulations to the #Bluesmen pic.twitter.com/omlBN0G0hM

— Burnham Football Club (@BurnhamFC1878) November 8, 2025

Their reward for Saturday’s gritty win is a home tie against Punjab United on Saturday, December 6 (3pm). Punjab hail from Gravesend and play in the same league as Hythe Town but they’ve been more consistent than the side Burnham knocked out on Saturday. Punjab sit 11th in the table with 20 points from their 14 matches so far.

Burnham are back in cup action on Wednesday evening when they host Wycombe Wanderers in the third round of the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup at the 1878 Stadium.

The Blues thrashed Sandhurst Town 5-2 at home in the last round to tee up this week’s plum tie against one of the three EFL sides in the competition. The game kicks off at 7.45pm.

We’re in @BerksandBucksFA Cup action on Wednesday night https://t.co/YQ7MTPIi4D

— Wycombe Wanderers (@wwfcofficial) November 9, 2025

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Windsor & Eton 2, Bearstead 0

Windsor & Eton’s name was also in the hat for today’s third round FA Vase draw after Saturday’s 2-0 home win over Bearstead,

Windsor were able to get the job done with a goal in each half from Nick Thumwood and Isaiah Chase-Kelly.

Thumwood gave the home side the lead in the 11th minute, and they were able to extend that advantage in the 66th minute when Toby Bridges penalty was saved and pushed out to Chase-Kelly who squeezed the rebound home from an acute angle. The home side held on with relatively few scares and a large crowd of 418 were able to celebrate their side’s progression to the next round. Their run to the third round also matches Windsor & Eton’s debut campaign run to this stage of the competition.

The Royalists will be away from home in the next round when they will face Tunbridge Wells of the Southern Counties East Premier Division. That tie will take place on Saturday, December 6.

In the Combined Counties Premier Division North, Burnham and Windsor & Eton have both lost a little ground on new leaders Ardley United, who proved too strong for Holyport at Summerleaze Park.

The visitors took full control of the game after Declan Benjamin (28') fired them ahead. David Inyang (53' 70’) netted twice to make the points safe and, for good measure, Lewis Gabbidon scored a fourth for Ardley in the 85th minute.

The result lifted Ardley a point clear of Broadfields United at the top of the table. Burnham, who have a game in hand on the leaders, sit five points behind them in fourth, with Windsor three points behind ahead of their next league match at Kidlington on Saturday.