Ties to be played over two legs on 22nd and 29th Marchm 2003

Winning clubs to receive £3000

League rivals AFC Sudbury and Maldon Town will come head-to-head in the semi-finals of The FA Vase, in partnership with Carlsberg.

The draw for the penultimate stage lived up to the excitement of this season's non-league knockout cup competition by pairing the Jewson Eastern Counties League Premier sides together.

The sides have met in their league once this season with AFC Sudbury coming out on top 2-1 and were due to meet each other in the league again on the date of the first leg of the semi-final.

Having been knocked out of last seasons semi-finals by Essex side Tiptree United, title-favourites AFC Sudbury will be hoping for better luck against Maldon Town, who are 15 places behind them in the league.

The Essex side did not make it past the First Round Proper last season and have never reached the semi-finals before, a feat they achieved with a comfortable 3-0 win at Devizes Town in the quarter-finals at the weekend.

AFC Sudbury, who were losing finalists in their former guise as Sudbury Town in 1989, knocked out Mossley 2-0 away from home to reach this seasons final four for the second year running.

The draw was made by Brian Walden, chairman of The FA Vase Committee, and Ian Hannaford, Carlsberg senior brand manager, at The FA's Soho Square headquarters.

The other semi-final will be between former winners Brigg Town and Oadby Town.

Midland Alliance front-runners Oadby Town are into the semi-finals for the first time in their history having ended Winchester City's dream first run in the competition with a 1-0 victory in the Sixth Round Proper.

They now face a stern test against the winners of The FA Vase in 1996 to reach a historic final at West Ham United FC.

Brigg Town, who will face their first away trip in the competition this season, reached the final four with a late penalty in a 2-1 win over Northern Counties East League Premier rivals Bridlington Town.

The semi-finals of The FA Vase will be played over two legs on Saturday, March 22, and Saturday, March 29, with prize money of £3,000 to be awarded to each of the winning clubs.

The final of The FA Vase will be played at West Ham United FC on Saturday, May 10, kick-off 3pm.

1st Leg - Saturday 22nd March

1 Oadby Town v Brigg Town

2 Maldon Town v AFC Sudbury

2nd Leg - Saturday 29th March

1 Brigg Town v Oadby Town

2 AFC Sudbury v Maldon Town