Football: Tow Law take a road well-travelled

Non-League notebook

TOW LAW TOWN will know the way to Suffolk for tomorrow's FA Carlsberg Vase quarter-final at Sudbury Wanderers - they earned their place in the last eight with a victory in the last round at Sudbury Town, whose ground is less than a mile from Wanderers' home.

Like most clubs who make progress in the Vase, Tow Law have plenty of experience in their side - which includes a player who has appeared in the European Cup as well as the Football League. Paul Hague, a centre- half formerly with Gillingham and Leyton Orient, played for Cork City against Cwmbran and Galatasaray in the 1993/94 European Cup.

Tow Law can also boast one very famous former player: Chris Waddle, whom they sold to Newcastle for pounds 1,000 in 1980.

Only two sides in the last eight tomorrow have reached Wembley in the Vase, and both are from the Screwfix Direct Western League: Tiverton Town, who travel to Lincolnshire to take on Spalding, and Taunton, who entertain the Cornish side Porthleven. In the other tie, Kidsgrove Athletic are at home to Potters Bar Town.

The England semi-professional side play their first international of the season on Tuesday when they take on the Netherlands at Crawley Town's Broadfield stadium. They have a new manager: John Owens, the former Altrincham player who has been in charge of England's Under-15 team for the last three years.

Owens' first squad contains only three players who faced the Dutch last season: the Hednesford goalkeeper Scott Cooksey and two midfielders: Rushden's Garry Butterworth and Steve Walters of Northwich. Another Hednesford player to be called up is Andy Comyn, the veteran former Aston Villa, Derby and Plymouth centre-half.

ENGLAND SEMI-PROFESSIONAL SQUAD (Friendly v the Netherlands, Tuesday, Crawley Town FC): Cooksey (Hednesford), Stewart (Southport); Hooper (Kingstonian), Banks (Cheltenham), Smith (Stevenage), Ryan (Southport), Danzey (Woking), Comyn (Hednesford), Bradshaw (Halifax), Butterworth (Rushden), Howells (Cheltenham), Perkins (Stevenage), Walters (Northwich), Watkins (Cheltenham), Grayson (Hereford), Horsfield (Halifax).