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November 1 2012

 

 

 

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There are five all non-league ties in the first round proper. This in including Bishop Stortford vs Hastings United.  Neither team is engraved in FA Cup folklore it has to be said but nonetheless I expect a good game with both teams keen on the prize money that a club receives for progressing to the second round.  Despite being based in Hertfordshire Bishops Stortford play in the Blue Square Bet North so have a lot of long away treks so it will be a relief for Stortford’s players and fans that they have a home draw and that even if they are taken to a replay by the Ryman League side, the Tuesday night trip will not be too far.  Despite this they will be very keen to win on the same day as Hasting United home form is very good, they have only lost one home game in all competitions so far this season.

Last season, Wrexham came close to knocking out Championship opposition.  After a well earned draw at the Amex Stadium against Brighton, they lost a heartbreaking penalty shootout.  Even for the neutral you could not help feeling sorry for them.  This year Wrexham will look to progress just as far in the competition if not further.  They were handed a rather kind draw, they host lowly Alfreton Town at the Racecourse Ground. In the League, Wrexham were beaten 1-0 at home to Alfreton which shocked many in the non-league world.  I do not expect a similar result this weekend as Alfreton’s most potent threat is aerial balls as a lot of their players are very good in the air but they can be extremely wasteful in front of goal.

In the other all Blue Square Premier tie, Luton host Nuneaton.  Nuneaton are propping up the Conference at the minute and as with every season Luton are near the summit.  Luton have already hosted Nuneaton in the league, when the Hatters won 2-0 courtesy of two late goals.  That was only a few weeks ago but expect a very similar result on Saturday.  Last Saturday Luton earned a late win at fellow high flyers Forest Green Rovers.  The outcome of this match may not be in question but how far Luton will go is a matter up for discussion. I have seen them play and they are a very attacking minded side so I feel they could easily hold their own against Football League opposition.

The final all non-league ties are Guiseley vs Barrow and Mansfield vs Slough.  Barrow have not set the Conference alight this season and Guiseley were defeated in last years Conference North Play-Off Final.  This season Guiseley are again challenging for promotion.  Despite the differences in division, this match should be a close encounter.  Slough Town travel to Mansfield in hope (not expectation) of some kind of result.  Although Mansfield are underachieving thus far this season, they will be strong favourites for this game.  Slough’s great form in October meant nothing to any of the influential bookmakers.

As for the in form teams in the Football League, Sheffield United travel to Bristol Rovers – a team I backed to get promoted this year (I feel idiotic now).  The Blades will not find the task easy as Rovers can be a good team on their day but that day has not come enough so far.  I can see the Blades winning that tie even if it takes a replay to do so. 

Cassidy Jake (TRFC)

League One's Top Scorer Jake Cassidy will hope to add to his tally at Braintree on Sunday

Tranmere of course travel to Braintree in a game that will be televised on Sunday.  Braintree’s pitch was not playable last week when they were due to host Wrexham so they have had an extra break while Tranmere were made to run about by a dominant Preston.  Braintree may be just above the drop zone but results are improving since a win at Luton in mid October, however Braintree’s playing style is on the wrong side of physical which is not often spotted by Conference referees.  I do think the Essex side might be able to force a replay but overall I expect the League One leaders to pull through.

League Two leaders Gillingham host League One side Scunthorpe United at the Priestfield.  It is one of those perculiar circumstances where the lower league side will be expected to win as Scunthorpe have been poor thus far this season so a home win is the expected result for many a pundit.  The side creeping up on the Gills, Port Vale, have Forest Green away which could be one of the ties of the round.  Forest Green have become famous for being the most eco friendly club in the country and they will be keen for a lengthy FA Cup run starting off with beating the Vale.  What will give Rovers even more hope is that influential Vale defender John McCombe will be suspended after being sent off at Northampton last Saturday. I expect a very good game, if not a goal fest.

The team that currently fill the final automatic promotion place are Cheltenham Town.  They host surprise package Yate who overcame Newport County to reach the first round proper and will be very much underdogs for Saturdays game.  They have already beaten Poole, Winchester, Oxford City and North Leigh to reach this stage so they can already be proud of their achievements thus far.  Yate are bottom of their League with just one win from seven league games.

Yate are not the only non league side that are travelling to Football League sides in hope of a cup upset. Ebbsfleet United travel to Carlisle, Bradford Park Avenue to Doncaster, Bromley travel to Fleetwood, Stockport travel to Southend, Macclesfield travel to Swindon and Harrogate will make the trek to the west to face Torquay.   Bromley will be looking for a better first round display then last years one.  Last year Bromley were soundly beaten by Leyton Orient but this year they will want to put more of a fight up against Fleetwood Town.

Bradford Park Avenue who, a century ago, were FA Cup Quarter finalists, travel to Doncaster.  Although I hate to say it, Bradford PA may not be likely to get a result, nonetheless expect many fans to travel to the Keepmoat to support the team.  Harrogate beat Hyde in the previously postponed replay make the long trip to Torquay where they will travel in hope rather than expectation.  Stockport may be more optimistic as they travel to Roots Hall to face Southend who are only one League above and should really make a good game of it and if it goes to a replay then you would be foolish to rule out a Stockport victory.

Swindon and Macclesfield were in the same league last season but now they are two divisions apart. Macclesfield have finally learnt how to win against since their relegation after it took them till August to win a game in the calendar year!  A lot of teams that fall out of the Football League never come back but Macclesfield really look like they could get back there at the first attempt.  Could they carry this good form in the FA Cup? Very doubtful but we know what a seesaw side Swindon can be.  Ebbsfleet United travel to Carlisle. They were the last two teams to be drawn from the velvet bag (as they were in the fourth qualifying round) Ebbsfleet may be two divisions below but you would not rule out them scraping a draw, after all stranger things that happened.

Uninspiring Conference sides Kidderminster and Lincoln will have their chance to upset the applecart as they host Oldham and Walsall respectively.  Whether Kidderminster can cause a shock depends on whether loanee Matthew Derbyshire is available for selection, since his arrival they have shot up the table somewhat and are now moving nearer and nearer to that mid-table position they so desperately crave. Walsall are already in midtable and are looking to avoid a relegation scrap this year.  They travel to Lincoln who will really want a run in the FA Cup from a financial point of view.  Since their drop from the Football League they have not been able to mount any kind of promotion push and have often been hovering above the drop zone.

An Essex derby will also take place on FA Cup weekend as Chelmsford host Colchester United.  Rather ironically this is Chelmsford’s second Essex FA Cup derby in a row as they faced East Thurrock in the qualifying round!  The working class crowd will love the derby and with all the pressure on Colchester, the non league team and fans can afford to enjoy the occasion.

A London derby will take place as north meets west as Boreham Wood take on Brentford.  Brentford were knocked out of last years competition by non league opposition (Wrexham) which turned out to be the shock of the round.  Brentford’s best performance in the competition was when they reached the Quarter Finals in 1989.  Boreham have only ever reached round two.

AFC Fylde – heard of them?  A recently formed club (well 24 years ago) and managed by former Tranmere defender Dave Challinor, they host Accrington Stanley who have never passed the fourth round of the competition.  The last time they reached that stage, they were knocked out by Premiership side Fulham.

Challinor Dave

Ex-Rover Dave Challinor's AFC Fylde side will host Accrington Stanley

Sunday sees Dorchester host Plymouth, Burton host Altrincham and Gloucester host Leyton Orient.  When you think of Gloucester you do not usually think of football however the lowly side have a chance to put themselves on the footballing map as they host 1978 semi finalists Orient.  League Two side Plymouth make the short journey to Dorchester in front of ESPN’s TV cameras.  Plymouth should bring a big following as they have been a very tight knit group of fans since they became bankrupt, they brought thousands for an away game to Barnet and as this journey is a lot shorter.  Altrincham make the trek to Burton on the Sunday hoping they can cause another giantkilling.  They have become famous for giant killings even though they have never been past round four.

The final four ties are Bournemouth v Dagenham and Redbridge, Bury v Exeter, Chesterfield v Hartlepool  and Crewe v Wycombe. I expect home advantage to prevail in all four of them even if Chesterfield have not had a great start to the season.

Henry’s Predictions in Full:

Cambridge City 0-5 MK Dons

Hereford 1-2 Shrewsbury

Boreham Wood 0-3 Brentford

AFC Flyde 0-1 Accrington Stanley

Aldershot 5-0 Hendon

Barnet 0-1 Oxford

Bishop Stortford 3-0 Hastings United

Bournemouth 3-1 Dagenham & Redbridge

Bristol Rovers 0-2 Sheffield United

Bury 2-1 Exeter

Carlisle 2-3 Ebbsfleet United

Chelmsford 0-4 Colchester

Cheltenham 6-0 Yate

Chesterfield 2-1 Hartlepool

Coventry 7-0 Arlesly

Crewe 1-0 Wycombe

Doncaster 5-0 Bradford PA

Fleetwood 2-0 Bromley

Forest Green 0-0 Port Vale

Gillingham 1-1 Scunthorpe

Guiseley 2-2 Barrow

Kidderminster 1-3 Oldham

Lincoln 0-2 Walsall

Luton 4-0 Nuneaton

Mansfield 2-0 Slough

Metropolitan Police 0-4 Crawley

Morecambe 3-2 Rochdale

Northampton 1-2 Bradford

Portsmouth 0-2 Notts County

Preston 1-2 Yeovil

Rotherham 1-0 Stevenage

Southend 2-0 Stockport

Swindon 4-0 Macclesfield

Torquay 3-0 Hyde/Harrogate

Wrexham 3-1 Alfreton

York 0-0 Wimbledon

Braintree 0-0 Tranmere

Burton 3-0 Altrincham

Gloucester 0-2 Leyton Orient

Dorchester 0-4 Plymouth

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