The Men’s First Team take a break from League football on Tuesday night but face a tough test as they take on Barnet in the Middlesex FA John Taylor Senior Cup.
The Bees are also engaged in an EFL League Two match at home to Swindon Town, so are likely to send a young squad to the Robert Parker Stadium but that does not diminish the task ahead of Ashford; regardless of who is in the Barnet squad, they will all be full-time professional players with the fitness and technical ability which are a prerequisite at Football League level.
The Middlesex Senior Cup is the last major County honour to have eluded Ashford in open-age football; the men have won three Middlesex Charity Cups and a Surrey Senior Cup while the women have won the Capital Women’s Senior Cup twice. The competition was dedicated to the late John Taylor following his untimely passing in 2025; in addition to being a widely respected Chair of Middlesex FA, John and his wife Gill ran Barnet FC Women for many years.
Ashford manager Luke Morgan-Tuffs has made it plain on numerous occasions – including in his post-match interview on Saturday – that his priority is securing the club’s future at Step 4. Yet the gaffer may fancy a tilt at this competition, which has been won by a Step 4 or Step 5 club in each of the past three seasons and also offers the potential for further ‘glamour’ ties given that both Brentford and Queens Park Rangers are participating this season. With the club being told unofficially that it will be parent-affiliated to Surrey FA in the future, whether it likes it or not, this season may be one of the final chances for Ashford to lift the beautiful silver trophy, which is the original first presented in 1889.
The full draw is as follows:
Ashford Town (Middx) v Barnet
Harrow Borough 3-3 Uxbridge
Harrow won 5-4 on penalties
Brentford FC B v North Greenford United
Enfield Town v Queens Park Rangers U21
Bedfont Sports v Southall
Hayes & Yeading United v Hampton & Richmond Borough
Broadfields United v Hanwell Town
Hanworth Villa v Harefield United
Walkover to Harefield United – Hanworth Villa withdrew
If the match ends in a draw, there will be no extra time. The tie will be decided by the taking of kicks from the penalty mark.
Kick-off is 7:45pm and Ernie’s Bar and the Tea Bar will both be open. A programme is not being issued for this fixture.
