Hebburn Town manager reacts after FA Vase fifth round draw

File picture of Hebburn Town FC (yellow) and Sunderland RCA, played at Hebburn Sports Ground.

Hebburn Town manager Kevin Bolam joked that he would never be off his phone after his side were handed an away tie at Longridge Town in the FA Vase fifth round.

For the second consecutive round, the Hornets will face an away tie in the North West against a side that have knocked three Northern League clubs out of the competition this season.

The Hallmark Security League Premier Division outfit have seen off Division Two duo Newcastle University and Crook Town and Division One side Thornaby on their way to the last 16 of the competition.

Hebburn will travel to Lancashire on Saturday, 8th February as they look to reach the quarter-final for the first time in their history.

Bolam told The Gazette: “I will be straight on my phone to make sure that we will to the Northern League clubs they have faced and do our homework, but we will also head over there and have them watched.

“Obviously it can be favourable because they won’t know a lot about us – but then again, they are in the same boat because we have beaten Lower Breck and Vauxhall Motors, who are both North West Counties sides.

“I am sure they will do their research on us by contacting those clubs and they will try and get up here to have us watched too.”

Hebburn are one of three Northern League Division One sides that learnt their fate in Monday’s draw.

Consett will have to wait until next weekend to find out who their last-16 opponents will be as the winners of Saturday’s replay between Binfield and Deal Town travel to Belle View in the next round.

And two-time finalists West Auckland Town will face a 764-mile round-trip after they were handed an away tie at Western League Premier Division leaders Plymouth Parkway.

Bolam is keen to see all three Northern League clubs battle their way through to the quarter-final of a competition that has provided the North East with eight winning sides in the last 11 seasons.

FA Vase Fifth Round draw

1 Corinthian v Sporting Khalsa

2 Bradford Town v Leighton Town

3 Consett v Deal Town or Binfield

4 Plymouth Parkway v West Auckland Town

5 Longridge Town v Hebburn Town

6 Wroxham v Stowmarket Town

7 Bitton v Sutton Common Rovers

8 Atherstone Town v Worcester City or Coventry United

Ties will take place on Saturday 8th February with winning clubs awarded £2,250 in prize money and the losers will receive £750.