Wrenhaven Athletic drawn at home to top-flight Velmont in the national cup

Wrenhaven Athletic have been drawn at home to Velmont in the fourth round of the national cup, setting up the biggest match at Gull Lane for several seasons. The draw, made on Monday evening, pairs the Wrens with a side that has won the trophy four times and currently sits in the top half of the premier division.

The tie will be played on the weekend of 21 November, subject to confirmation of broadcast arrangements. The club said season ticket holders would have a priority window to buy seats, followed by members, before any remaining tickets go on general sale. Gull Lane holds just under 11,000 spectators, and around 1,100 seats will be allocated to visiting supporters.

A familiar opponent

The two clubs have not met in a competitive fixture since Velmont's promotion to the top flight eight years ago. Older supporters will remember a cup replay in the 1990s that Wrenhaven won 3-2 after extra time, a match still shown on the screens in the club's bar. Velmont's squad now includes several international players, and they are clear favourites.

Nobody will give us much of a chance, and that is fine. Cup ties at home, under the lights, with a full stadium, are why people play football.

Head coach Marta Oyelaran said she was pleased to have been drawn at home but would not let the cup distract from the league, where the Wrens are pushing for promotion. "We have three league games before then and those are the priority," she said. "But I would be lying if I said the players were not excited when the ball came out."

Club secretary Neil Ashby said the tie could bring in several hundred thousand euros in gate receipts and broadcast fees, money that would go towards replacing the floodlights and improving facilities at the academy. Local businesses near the ground, including the pubs and cafés on Gull Lane, are also expecting their busiest day of the season.

Police and the council's safety advisory group will meet the club next week to agree arrangements for the match. Supporters are being advised to use public transport, with extra trams expected to run on the Northfield Line.