Local Isthmian North sides Maldon & Tiptree and Heybridge Swifts take a break from league action this weekend in search of FA Cup success and a winner's cheque for £1,444.

Both are in action in the preliminary round of the competition, with Maldon home to Harpendon Town at the Wallace Binder Stadium on Saturday (3pm).

The visitors will go into the match technically as underdogs, despite the fact Maldon have lost both their opening league encounters.

Town play in the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division and have won one and lost one in their opening two league matches.

But they have already pulled off a giantkilling scalp in the competition's extra preliminary round, beating Maldon's Isthmian North colleagues New Salamis 2-1. For 50 minutes Town looked second best and were a goal down and facing a penalty but things turned when Alex Desmond saved the spot kick. They equalised through a towering header by Josh Rodriguez and then Jake Tabor scored the winner from 25 yards.

Maldon will hope to bounce back from Wednesday's defeat at Grays, which was preceeded by a home defeat for the Jammers by Tilbury.

Heybridge Swifts travel to the Cheshunt Stadium on Sunday (3pm) to face former Isthmian North FC Romania, who now ply their trade in the Southern League Central Division and have managed just a point from their first two matches.

In contrast Swifts have four points from their opening two encounters, the win coming against Coggeshall on Tuesday after a draw against Basildon.