The TV cameras will be in attendance again as Darren Moore’s side take on the lowest ranking team in the first round of the FA Cup. Here’s our preview…
Vale viewpoint
Essentials
- Opposition: Maldon & Tiptree
- Date: Sunday 2nd November, 3pm
- Competition: FA Cup first round
- Viewing guide: broadcast live on TNT Sports
Stick or twist?
There seems to be two arguments over what the Vale team should be. There’s one which suggests this is now too vital a game to risk too much rotation. There’s another that says the performance on Monday was so bad, other players deserve a chance. Our feeling is there will be some changes but not wholesale ones.
So who does play?
We’re expecting Ben Amos to get a run out in goal. We’d expect Jesse Debrah (after a stinker on Monday) to stand aside for Ben Heneghan and Rhys Walters may start in midfield.
Known injury list
Mitch Clark, Jordan Gabriel and Liam Gordon are all long-term injured.
Possible Vale line-up (3-5-2)
Amos – Humphreys, Heneghan, C.Hall – John, Croasdale, Walters, Johnson – Garrity – Paton, Cole
Ben Amos – a start in goal?
Related features
Opposition briefing
Essentials
- Name: Maldon & Tiptree
- League: Isthmian League North Division
- Manager: Kevin Horlock
- Stadium: Park Drive
- Trivia: In 2009 Maldon Town were taken over by Tiptree United and rebranded as Maldon & Tiptree Football Club
Meet the manager
Former Northern Ireland International Kevin Horlock took over as manager in 2025. He has previously had spells in charge of Chatham Town and Needham Market and this is his second spell in charge of Maldon & Tiptree.
Recent form
Superb. The side sit top of the table and have lost just one League game all season. They reached this stage with cup wins over Hadley, Canvey Island, Stanway Rovers, Waltham Abbey and Flackwell Heath.
Last match
The team played a home match against Downham Town, winning 1-0 thanks to a goal from Anisius Eros Edward Lewis. It was played in front of 887 people.
Players to watch
There’s a number of well-known faces in the squad included much travelled striker Freddie Sears, former Colchester stalwart Tom Eastwood as well as former Celtic and Norwich striker Gary Hooper.
Tiptree road sign – Creative Commons licence by Geographer
Our opponent’s history
Brief History
Maldon Town Football Club was established in 1946. They reached the semi-finals of the FA Vase in 2002–03 and also won the Essex and Suffolk Premier Division in 1966. In 2009 Maldon Town were taken over by Tiptree United and rebranded as Maldon & Tiptree Football Club.
FA Cup history
In terms of the FA Cup, in 2019–20 they reached the first round proper of the FA Cup for the first time in their history and promptly defeated League Two club Leyton Orient 2–1. In the second round they lost 1–0 at home to Newport County. The club reached the first round again the following season, losing 1–0 at home to Morecambe.
Stadium
The Park Drive ground in Maldon has a 2,800 capacity.
Trivia
The stadium’s record attendance is 1,876 for an FA Cup match against Newport County on 29 November 2019.
This will be the side’s first-ever visit to Vale Park
From our archive
This site has been around for thirty years and has over 10,000 articles. Here’s a couple related to the FA Cup…
Connections and previous meetings
Head-to-head record
- Vale wins: 0
- Vale losses: 0
- Draws: 0
Fixture history
The two sides have never met in a competitive fixture.
Player connections
Over the years there have been relatively few players who have appeared for both sides. The short list includes midfielder Chris Regis, who had a loan spell at Maldon and then had a brief two appearance Vale career. There’s also striker Jamie Guy, who had loan spells at both clubs.
Vintage connection
Striker Carl Griffiths was one of Brian Horton’s first signing for the club. However, he failed to settle making just the eight appearances. He later move on to Maldon Town towards the end of his playing career. The Welshman finished his playing career with a highly creditable 124 goals from 334 senior appearances.
Carl Griffiths in Vale colours
Over to you
Predict the score
Discuss the game
Want to discuss things before, during and after the game? Our forum’s dedicated match thread is the place to be. Share your views with fellow fans –
Quiz
Have you been paying attention? Here’s our traditional preview quiz
Who is the current Maldon & Tiptree manager?
Against which side did they record their record attendance?
When did Maldon and Tiptree merge?
Which Welsh striker had spells with both clubs?
(answers below – no cheating)
Quiz answers
Kevin Horlock
Newport County
2009
Carl Griffiths
Quiz ratings
Today’s theme is Vale signings from non-league How did you fare?
0/4 – Chris Slater
1/4 – Kyle Perry
2/4 – Luke Hannant
3/4 – Gareth Griffiths
4/4 – Andy Jones
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The match is also available on ESPN+ if you’re in the US.
One would hope we put out a decent team and start at a good tempo and not at walking pace allowing Maldon to settle and gain confidence. Can I also say I hope supporter’s stop this nonsense of turning on the players each time we loose. Both Garrity and Curtis fell foul of supporters at the end of the Stockport game and ended up in heated confrontations. When I look back to Mondays defeat, although we were well beaten by a better team we did make a number of decent chances. If fans need to take their frustrations out on anyone then that should be the manager. The constant team changes, system changes and his obsession of turning out Byers just aren’t helping players. We are constantly told by managers that players need matches to build their sharpness and match fitness up, yet Moore seems to go totally against this theory with his mass team changes and his system changes and substitutions. Other than Moores favourites the rest of the squad are used as bit players, either by playing the occasional game or by being part of this rotating substitution system he uses. JUST possibly, maybe Croasdale would have put his chances away if he hadn’t spent the last 4or5 games sat on the bench, JUST possibly, maybe the back 3, 4 or 5 (depending on which system he’s using) would know if their man for man or zonal marking, because I certainly don’t watching them! JUST maybe, we might have a few set pieces up our sleeve if only just we had a settled team. The players must be as frustrated as the fans with all these changes and for me it’s a wonder Moore has kept the confidence of the players.