THIS season’s McDonald’s Suffolk Primary Cup gets under way on Saturday.

Thirty teams - a further 17 have received byes and await in round two - will take their first steps on the road to what they hope will be an appearance in the showpiece final.

Both of last season’s finalists, Redgrave Rangers and Cavendish, who they defeated 2-0, have moved up to compete in the Parkers Pitches Suffolk Junior Cup this season.

Meanwhile, both losing semi-finalists from the 2023-24 competition, Coddenham Athletic and Ipswich Exiles, who last season were known as Ipswich Vale Exiles, have received a bye into round two.

Hence, opportunity knocks for other teams to stake their claim, and two sides who will be keen to do so are Occold and Unity, who both reached the quarter-finals last season before bowing out.

However, only one of them will make it through to the second round as they face each other on Saturday.

Among those sides involved in the first round are the 2020-21 winners Bramford United, who travel to fellow Macron SIL Division Five side Mendlesham, and the 2010-11 winners Benhall St Mary, who welcome Waveney ‘A’.

Laxfield United, who were runners-up to Bramford United, start at home to AFC Oulton Reserves, while Witnesham Wasps, the 2013-14 losing finalists, entertain another Lowestoft-based side in Hawthorn United.

Ryan MacArthur, the Redgrave Rangers goalkeeper, is pictured above punching clear from a Cavendish attack in last season’s final at Colchester United FC. Photograph: Paul Voller

Weekend Fixtures

Saturday

Kick-offs 2pm:

McDonald’s Suffolk Primary Cup First Round: Achilles Res v Boxford Rovers, Benhall St Mary v Waveney ‘A’, Brantham Athletic Development v Coplestonians Development, Capel Plough Res v Hadleigh Utd Brettsiders, Clare Town Res v Haverhill Town, Cockfield Utd Res v Elmswell Res, Exning Utd Res v West Row Gunners, Hope Church v Samuels, Kessingland Res v Beccles Town ‘A’, Kirton Athletic v Flying Dutchman, Laxfield v AFC Oulton Res, Mendlesham v Bramford Utd, Occold v Unity, Oulton Utd v Pakefield Dynamos Development, Witnesham Wasps v Hawthorn Utd.