STOURPORT Swifts' game with Eastwood Community in the third-round of the Isuzu FA Vase looks set to beat the big freeze hitting the UK this weekend.

With Eastwood playing their home games on an artificial surface, the likelihood of the pitch even requiring an inspection.

Many non-league games on grass will likely struggle, with temperatures reaching as low as -6 in some parts of the UK, but Swifts cup tie in Eastwood will be one that does get the green light.

It will be a long trip for those Stourport supporters, with an 80-mile treck to Nottinghamshire in store.

But they will be confident of a result in a competition they have a great track record in. They reached the quarter-finals of this competition back in 2020 and have made the third-round in each of the past four seasons.

But Quentin Townsend's men will be facing an Eastwood side currently sitting fourth in the United Counties Football League Premier Division North and in a great run of form.

They beat Dudley Town 4-1 in the second-round and have won six games in a row in all competitions, scoring 19 goals in the process. And talking of goals, Eastwood possess a prolific striker in Kyle Tomlin, who has bagged 16 already this season in his 24 games.

So it looks like being a big challenge for the Swifts, who have not won since their second-round victory at AFC Wulfrunians, although all three of those games since have ended as draws.

But their love-affair with this competition and their success in cup football under Townsend, you can never count this Swifts side out.