The most high-profile game played at Essella Park in the early years was in 1934–35 with an FA Cup First Round Proper tie with Clapton (now Leyton) Orient of the Football League Third Division South. Town had won away at Kent League powerhouse team Northfleet United in the final qualifying round to reach this stage of the competition. The tie with Orient had extra spice as Ashford were in effect a nursery team for Orient who had loaned a couple of young players and had transferred several players to the 'Nuts and Bolts' – the most notably being former Liverpool and England full back Tommy Lucas who had been appointed by Orient as manager. In a match that "lacked nothing in vigour and spirit" in front of 3,000 spectators Ashford fell 4–1 to their visitors. Another notable player appearing for the Town around this time was record Tottenham Hotspur hotshot (and scorer of the only goal in the 1921 FA Cup final) Jimmy Dimmock.