Walthamstow begin their 2026/2027 season in the FA Cup away at Southern League Central side Leverstock Green this weekend.
The winners of this tie will travel to Ware on Saturday 22nd August.
It hasn’t been the most straight forward pre-season campaign for the Stow, including managerial changes and games being called off due to foxes damaging the Wadham Lodge pitch. Former Stow manager Max Mitchell was re-appointed after Gifton Noel-Williams was relieved of his duties midway through pre-season. Mitchell comes in for a second spell after being in charge during the two Covid stricken seasons. During that time, Stow had a 64% win percentage, which is the highest in the club’s modern history. Following the changes in the dugouts, the pre-season results included losses to Wormley Rovers, Soul Tower Hamlets, Stanway Rovers, Hadley and Broadbridge Heath. Stow drew against Ilford and Fisher and came out victorious in their last friendly against Barking.
Leverstock have had a more or less positive pre-season campaign, with victories over Dunstable FC, Broadfields United, Egham Town and a Watford XI, draws against Everett Rovers, Biggleswade United, Harrow Borough and defeats to Harpenden Town and Takeley. Last season was their second season in a row at Step 4 where they finished comfortably in mid-table – 11 points outside the play-offs and 23 points ahead of relegation.
Both Stow and Leverstock will be looking to get past the Extra Preliminary Round this time around, as both sides failed to do so last season. Stow were knocked out by now Step 5 side Brantham Athletic in a tie which had to be settled by a replay. A 1-1 draw was held at Wadham Lodge, with Max Brownsdon’s goal of the season contender sending both sides to the Brantham Leisure Centre on a Tuesday evening. The Imps progressed comfortably through to the next round with a 4-1 win. Leverstock fell to the hands of Essex Senior League side Ilford who needed just the one goal in the first half to go through.
The first and only meeting between Walthamstow and Leverstock Green was back in August 2023 in the Preliminary Round of the FA Cup at Wadham Lodge. At the time, Stow were under the management of Nicky Ironton, who saw the blues through to the next round in a 3-1 victory. Duncan Culley scored the opener in the first half before Dan Pett’s equaliser for the visitors. Jordon Watson came off the bench to get himself a brace to make it 3-1.
Previous meetings
| 19/08/2023 | 2023-24 | FA Cup | Home | 3 | 1 |