Ashford United striker Gary Lockyer on course to beat likes of Erling Haaland and Mo Salah to FA Cup Golden Ball

A non-league striker from Kent is hoping he can hold off the likes of Erling Haaland and Mo Salah to win the FA Cup Golden Ball trophy this season.

Gary Lockyer has bagged 10 goals in the competition and remains first in the top-scorer standings despite his team, Ashford United, having been knocked out.

Despite playing in the eighth tier of the football league, it will take some effort from any of the stars in the Premier League to knock him off the summit.

Speaking about being on the cusp of a lifetime achievement, Lockyer admitted to closely following the leaderboard.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't checking," he said.

"It's an unbelievable personal achievement to be top scorer in one of the oldest and most prestigious competitions in the world."

Lockyer's journey to the top of the scoring charts began in late July during the FA Cup's qualifying rounds - a phase where non-league clubs like Ashford battle for their moment in the spotlight.

Ashford United won their two preliminary-round games against Egham Town and Harrow Borough.

This was before defeating Three Bridges and Corinthian in the first and second round of qualifying.

However, in the third round of qualifying, they eventually came up short in a narrow 3-2 defeat against Chertsey Town.

Scoring 10 goals across six games, Lockyer's consistency and clinical finishing propelled Ashford to one of their best-ever FA Cup runs.

But the forward remains grounded about his chances of securing the Golden Ball, as the country’s biggest clubs – and in-form strikers like Aleksander Isak and Chris Wood – have only played one game in the competition so far.

They entered the cup in the third round so only have a maximum of five more games to top Lockyer’s 10 goals.

"To see my