PLAYERS and officials from Lowestoft Town Football Club this week got to grips with the FA Vase in the impressive surroundings of Wembley Stadium.But while Monday's visit provided an insight for midfielders Jamie Godbold and Gary Williams as they marvelled at the facilities the rush to buy tickets and fill the stadia has seen the halfway mark reached … with a remarkable 7,500 of Lowestoft's allocation of 15,000 already snapped up.

PLAYERS and officials from Lowestoft Town Football Club this week got to grips with the FA Vase in the impressive surroundings of Wembley Stadium.

But while Monday's visit provided an insight for midfielders Jamie Godbold and Gary Williams as they marvelled at the facilities the rush to buy tickets and fill the stadia has seen the halfway mark reached … with a remarkable 7,500 of Lowestoft's allocation of 15,000 already snapped up.

The match will see Lowestoft and Lancashire-based Kirkham & Wesham collide on May 11 - but this week, Godbold and Williams met two of their likely opponents at Wembley, Matt Walwyn and Kirkham skipper Dougie Shaw.

They were joined by Lowestoft chairman Geoff Price - just three days before he was due to go to hospital for a hip operation - secretary Terry Lynes and club groundsman David Page to mingle with officials from Kirkham.

Mr Price told The Journal: “This is a fairytale. Everybody is buzzing and it's great for the whole town.”

The Blues have taken delivery of their allocation of more than 15,000 tickets for the showdown next month and due to massive demand, tickets will be available to collect from the club from tomorrow. .

“By today, we will be pushing towards the halfway mark of 7,500 tickets being sold,” Mr Price said.

Such has been the early push for tickets, and booking a seat for The Trawlerboys historic trip to Wembley, that the club is now in talks with the Football Association about extra ticketing arrangements should their allotted numbers sell-out.

Meanwhile, in Lancashire, the Kirkham officials revealed this week they had sold 500.

“We are absolutely doing our best for the Lowestoft community - and we're over the moon with the response,” Mr Price said. “We're talking to the FA to see if we can get another 5,000 tickets, and if we do fill our full application there maybe this option.”

And showing the strength of support for the dream day out in the capital, The Journal has teamed up with the club to organise official coach travel.

With just under 1,000 tickets - 20 coaches - already sold, there is still adult travel and match ticket packages available for adults costing £44.95.