The FA Cup Thread 2024

[Trollheart]

Team name: Chesham United v Lincoln City
Home city or town: Chesham v Lincoln
Area: Buckinghamshire v Lincolnshire
Nicknames: The Generals v The Imps
Match played at: The Meadow
Managers: James Duncan and Michael Murray v Michael Skubula
Currently playing in: National League South v EFL League 1
Tier: 5 v 3
Position (if available) or Form:++
Expectations:* Give it to the men in green, as they have made it further in previous FA Cups.
Giant Killers?** Yes
Best FA Cup run: Second round/Quarter-finals

This was the final match of the first round, played last night (Monday) and in a way both Chesham and Lincoln City must have felt a little like the last to leave the party, having sort of outstayed their welcome. By the time both teams walked out onto the Meadow, every other tie had been played and every other team matched up for the second round. Reminds me of that scene in Clockwise, where an irate and increasingly unstable John Cleese frowns at yet another person who has arrived to his speech - late - and groans "Yes, we're all waiting for you!" in the highly condescending voice he does so well as Basil Fawlty.

At any rate, Chesham were essentially shouldering and carrying the hopes of National League South, the only - only? Yes, checking I see a National League North team in the round two draw but none from the South - team yet left in it, and hoping, no doubt, to join their northern neighbour, Brackley Town, and take the final place for a chance to play League 1 Crawley Town. At home, and in front of a packed stadium, they may indeed have fancied their chances against the boys in green.

Unfortunately, the only videos I can find of highlights of the match are sans commentary, and I just can't figure out what's going on, showing how much we rely on those unsung heroes of televised sport. Where's a Steve Bauer when you need him, or a Vicky Sparks, which I believe is some sort of combustion vehicle. All I can, then, tell you is that Chesham gamely held the visitors off almost to half-time, but a minute before the break it was local hearts who broke as Jack Moylan put it in the net, to give Lincoln a one-nil lead going into the second half, after which it wasn't long before they were two up, five minutes into the second half. Looking to be an impossible task for the Generals now, who seemed to have lost all sense of strategy.

A third on 66 sealed it for the Imps, and Chesham's cause, already lost by now, was not helped when Adebiyi helped himself to a goal with three minutes to go, unfortunately down the wrong end. 4-0 then to Lincoln, who smash aside their lower tier competition and knock them out of the FA Cup, and go on to face Crawley Town, who should hopefully prove more worthy opponents.

Result: Chesham United 0 - 4 Lincoln City
Scorer(s): Moylan, Makama, McGrandles, Adebiyi (og) (LIN)
Giant killing? No
Giant killings grand total: 11
Prediction turned out to be: Right
Predictions final result: R17 W17

[Trollheart]

So that's it. The famous FA Cup winnowing process has begun, and those who fell at the first fence no longer get a chance to redress their performance in a replay, since the FA have, in their wisdom, put a stop to that process, and everyone gets one chance now to make it to the second round. This didn't stop quite a few matches ending in draws, and in a few that draw continued even after extra time had been played, with the result that this FA Cup must have featured the most penalty shoot-outs of any in its history, and is likely to serve up more as we go into the second and further rounds.

Teams eliminated

For now, here are the teams that did not make it, and how they were eliminated from the competition, in alphabetical order.

Aldershot Town fell to Bradford City 3-1

Alfreton Town were defeated by one of the bigger scores of the round, 5-1 to Notts County

Barnet were beaten by Exeter City by the joint highest score of the first round, taking them 5-3

Barrow fell to Doncaster Rovers 1-0

Bolton were kicked out by Walsall 2-1

Boreham Wood held Leyton Orient to a 2-2 draw after extra time, but lost 3-1 on penalties

Braintree Town and Brackley Town fought out a 0-0 draw into extra time and could only be separated by penalties, which Brackley took 5-4

Carlisle United fell 2-0 to Wigan Athletic

Chesham United fell 4-0 to Lincoln City

Colchester United went out 2-1 to Swindon Town

Crewe Alexandra went out to Dagenham & Redbridge 1-0

Curzon Ashton were defeated by Mansfield Town by the largest score without reply, 4-0

Fleetwood Town went out on a 2-0 defeat to Reading

Forest Green Rovers went down 2-0 to Stockport County

Gillingham fell to Blackpool 2-0

Grimsby were sent home by Wealdstone for 1-0

Hednesford Town and Gainsborough Trinity fought out a dogged 4-4 draw, Trinity winning the penalty shootout 5-4

Horsham went down 3-1 to Chesterfield

Huddersfield Town fell to Tamworth 1-0

Maidenhead went down 2-1 to Crawley Town

Maidstone United went out 3-0 to Solihull Moors

MK Dons were dumped out by AFC Wimbledon 2-0

Newport County fell to Peterborough United 4-2

Northampton Town fell to Kettering Town 2-1

Oldham Athletic dumped Tranmere Rovers out by 2-1

Port Vale fell to Barnsley 3-1

Rochdale were beaten 4-3 by Bromley

Rotherham were taken by Cheltenham Town 3-1

Rushall Olympic lost 2-0 to Accrington Stanley

Scarborough Athletic were sent out by Burton Albion 1-0

Shrewsbury went down 2-1 to Salford City

Southend United were beaten 4-3 by Charlton Athletic

Stevenage and Guiseley fought out an unlikely 1-1 draw into extra time and Stevenage won 5-4 on penalties

Sutton United went out 1-0 to Birmingham City

Tonbridge Angels went down 4-1 to Harborough Town

Weston-super-Mare fell to Bristol Rovers 3-1

Woking went out to Cambridge United 1-0

Worthing went down to Morecambe 2-0

Wrexham fell to Harrogate Town 1-0

York City went out to Wycombe Wanderers 3-2


Giant Killings
In all, we've had eleven teams knocked out by ones below them. You can bet there'll be statistics to back this up, but for now, here's the list, again in alphabetical order.


Braintree Town
Bolton Wanderers
Crewe Alexandra
Grimsby Town
Huddersfield Town
MK Dons
Northampton Town
Rotherham United
Shrewsbury Town
Tranmere Rovers
Wrexham

[Trollheart]

That's right: it's that section you all love, the dry, boring statistics.


Out of 80 teams, naturally only 40 remain, but what's interesting is that there have been 11 major teams eliminated, i.e., 11 giant killings, which is almost 14%, but is actually larger because if you count up the teams from the two divisions of the EFL, 47 in all, there have been 10 of them knocked out. In other words, all but 1 of the giant killings have featured teams from League 1 or 2 being dismissed. So slightly over 20% of the EFL teams have been knocked out. That's a lot.

In terms of scores, we've had some pretty high scores, but a few have been draws.

Highest to lowest then:
5-3 (1)
5-1 (1)
4-4 (1)
4-3 (3)
4-2 (1)
4-1 (1)
4-0 (2)
3-2 (1)
3-1 (5)
3-0 (1)
2-2 (1)
2-1 (7)
2-0 (6)
1-1 (1)
1-0 [8]
0-0 (1)

So it's quite interesting to see that a grand total of one match ended in a nil-all draw (before going to extra time/penalties), and in fact only three other matches ended in any sort of a draw, so four in all, including that 4-4 thriller between Harborough Town and Gainsborough Trinity. The most common score was 1-0, 8 matches ending with one team winning by just the one goal, the next highest being 2-1, where seven matches either ended in a turnaround for the winning team, or had them ahead 2 before being pegged back but still winning. 2-0 is next, with six matches resulting in the winning team putting two past the losers without reply, and the next highest is 3-1, with five matches ending with a two-goal lead by the winners on the losers.

It's fairly evenly split then between the rest of the scores, the highest being 5-3 and 5-1, both only occurring once in this first round, but interestingly, the next highest, 4-3, happened in three matches.

[Trollheart]

Here's the table then showing the draw for the Second Round. Yellow denotes giant killers.



Matches will be played from November 29 to Dec 2. So I'll meet you back here after that.

[Trollheart]

We go again!

As most of the information on each team is given in the posts for the first round I'm not going to repeat them here, so there'll be a lot less detail before the match report. In these, "giant killing?" refers ONLY to this match. In other words, did the team get through by taking down a team from a higher league or not?

As before, all matches must be won tonight, so any draws go to extra time and then, if necessary, penalties.



Team names: Reading v Harborough Town
Match played at: Madejski Stadium

Reading had the early shot on 8 minutes but kept out by the 7th tier side, and again on 12 minutes, Harborough's keeper stopping the Royals from opening the scoring. It was 17 minutes before the minnows got a shot, but a corner came from it - and then a goal! Robinson to stun the Madejski and send the Southern League team ahead. Not for long though, as Camara equalised three minutes later, bit of a scrappy goal, but they all count. One minute later Harborough were ahead again! Not too many people would have expected a scoreline of 2-1 at the break, or if they did, they would have imagined the home team to be on the higher side of that score, but it was Harborough who went in ahead.

Reading were off the blocks quickly as the second half got going, the opposition keeper equal to the shot, a fine save, but there was nothing he could do about Savage's shot on the hour which drew Reading level again. But Harborough weren't lying down, and a few minutes later they came close to going ahead for a second time, the ball just clipping the crossbar on its way past the Reading net. Exciting stuff! Reading seemed to have settled it as the 70th minute approached, but then the home side had a man sent off for a second yellow with 15 minutes to go, and did the visitors make the extra man advantage pay! Tonge scored four minutes from time to level the match for the third time!

With extra time ticking away Reading gave away a corner which almost resulted in the winner, but it went wide, then the home side could have won it but the keeper saved it. In the end it was ruled offside anyway. So into extra time we went, nothing to separate these two teams with four divisions between them, then in the third minute Campbell broke the deadlock for Reading, but there were still another 27 minutes to go, and who would bet against the minnows coming back again? Well three minutes later Campbell was at it again, scoring his second and now leaving Harborough with a three-goal deficit, which in the end, despite their heroics, was too much to surmount and they go out after a historic run.


Result: Reading 5 - 3 Harborough Town
Scorer(s): Robinson, O'Sullivan, Tonge (HRB); Camara, Savage, Akande, Campbell (2) (REA)
Giant killing? No

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Team names: Burton Albion v Tamworth Town
Match played at: The Pirelli Stadium

Thomas the Tank Engine, sorry Tonks was instrumental in Tamworth's shock defeat of Huddersfield Town in the first round. Could he help his team push past Burton Albion and progress to the all-important third round? Well the home side had the first shot two minutes in but blazed over the bar, then on 18 minutes back they came, but shot at the keeper this time. Tamworth didn't seem to have had a shot on goal all through the first half, and in the second they almost made the breakthrough when they got a corner, but another too high.

Into added time as extra time beckoned, Tamworth almost able to snatch it at the death, but during extra time it was Burton who took command, scoring in the second minute. Back came the visitors though two minutes later to equalise. Burton Albion had the chance to take it right at the very end, but a great save from the Tamworth keeper meant we were headed for penalties. Albion had their first shot saved, which must have given the Lambs hope, which increased as they scored. 1-0 to the visitors. The next two were scored but then Albion missed again, Tamworth surely looking at a third round place now if they could only hold their nerve. But then they had their fourth shot saved, so if Albion could score it would cut the Lambs' lead to just the one goal. Tense stuff.

Burton scored their next one, which left Tamworth needing the next goal, which they got, then Albion scored, but Tamworth scored the next, which put them through to the third round.

Result: Burton Albion 1 - 1 Tamworth (AET) - Tamworth win on penalties 4-3
Scorer(s): Bennett (BTN); Maher (TAM)
Giant killing? Yes

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Team names: Kettering Town v Doncaster Rovers
Match played at: Latimer Park

18 minutes in before Rovers came close, but the ball just hit the crossbar, then 3 minutes later even closer, this time saved by the keeper. That great save stood to the home side, as on the half-hour it was they who were ahead, another giant-killing on the menu? Just after the hour Doncaster nearly levelled but another great save by the Kettering keeper, then fifteen minutes from full time they did just that, the appropriately-named Billy Sharp getting the equaliser.

A hopeful long shot from Kettering failed to trouble the Rovers keeper, then in the last minutes of added time the visitors could have sealed it but for excellent blocks and saves, and into extra time the game went. It was almost the end of the first half when Rovers got a corner, from which they scored, looking like they had crushed any chances of Kettering knocking them out, and so they had. Doncaster go through.

Result: Kettering Town 1 - 2 Doncaster Rovers
Scorer(s): Noel-Williams (KET); Sharp (2)(DON)
Giant killing? No



Team names: AFC Wimbledon v Dagenham & Redbridge
Match played at: Plough Lane

Having knocked bitter rivals MK Dons out of the first round, AFC Wimbledon must have wanted to rub it in and go as far as they could, but that plan took a knock just after the 30-minute mark when Dagenham scored, then as the first half drew to a close Wimbledon were unable to equalise, the shot straight at the keeper. They had another chance before the end of the half, and this time made no mistake, level at the break. A scrappy goal 13 minutes from time gave Dagenham the lead again, but could they  hold on? Yes they could, and Dagenham & Redbridge took down the League 2 side and go on to the third round.

Result: AFC Wimbledon 1 - 2 Dagenham & Redbridge
Scorer(s): Morias, Rees (DAG); Stevens (WIM)
Giant killing? Yes


Team names: Leyton Orient v Oldham Athletic
Match played at: Brisbane Road

Nothing much to report until after the half-hour when Oldham really should have taken the lead but missed a sitter. Would they have cause to regret that later? As the lower league side, the expectation was on them to lose, but then as the game restarted it looked like a throw-in had gone directly into the Orient net! Was that allowed? Had anyone touched it? I guess so, as it was allowed and Oldham had the lead. And that was how it remained till the very last minute, when Leyton Orient's keeper even came up for the corner, the home side with one last desperate throw of the dice, on the verge of going out to lower opposition, and literally all to play for. And in it went! And... scored by the keeper! Unbelievable. Oldham hearts broken, Orient forcing the match into extra time.

A penalty for the home side should have sealed it at the end of the first half of extra time, but the shot went wide. Not even saved, just a total miss! Were the football gods now turning against Orient, having provided them a lifeline? It seemed so, as in the last minute of extra time Oldham scored the winner. But it had been ruled offside, by the linesman. Would the ref agree? With no VAR at the FA Cup, the man in black would have the final word, and could ensure the National League side went through to the third round, or crush their hopes. What would be his decision?

It was to concur with the linesman, and then to make matters worse for the Latics, and adding insult to injury, Orient scored in the last minute to replace them in the third round. Heartbreaking.
Result: Leyton Orient 2 - 1 Oldham Athletic
Scorer(s): Monthe (OLD); Keeley, Agyei (LEY)
Giant killing? No

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Team names: Stockport County v Brackley Town
Match played at: Edgeley Park

The home side took the lead early, leaving Brackley Town chasing the match against a far superior opponent, and on 18 minutes they had doubled their lead, Brackley surely with no chance now? Well, this is the FA Cup, remember. A rush of blood to the head led to an over-exuberant backpass to the Stockport keeper, who, not expecting such venom in the shot, missed it and it rolled into his own net! Own goal halving the deficit for the visitors. Perhaps this was not over after all. Brackley fought back, scoring to equalise... until the flag went up. Four minutes from time their luck ran out as County scored again, this time down the right end, to take the match and any hope the non-leaguers had of progressing.

Result: Stockport County 3 - 1 Brackley Town
Scorer(s): Collar, Wootton, Olaofe (STK); Connolly (og) (BRK)
Giant killing? No



Team names: Wealdstone v Wycombe Wanderers
Match played at: Grosvenor Vale

Battle of the triple W as Wealdstone hosted Wycombe Wanderers, and it was the home team who were nearly ahead early on, but over the bar the ball went, while Wycombe got a free kick on the half-hour and dispatched the ball into the Wealdstone net. From then on the visitors were in total control, scoring another six minutes from time to send the National League team out of the competition.

Result: Wealdstone 0 - 2 Wycombe Wanderers
Scorer(s): Lubala, Kone (WYC)
Giant killing? No



Team names: Blackpool v Birmingham City
Match played at: Bloomfield Road

An equal contest, perhaps, with both teams playing in EFL League 1, Steve Bruce perhaps a little confused as to which dugout to go to, since he used also to manage Birmingham City. Six minutes in and he might have wished he had been in the other end, as his former team took the lead, Blackpool insistent that the ball had gone over the line before the opposition scored, but with no goal-line technology and no VAR, no appeal possible. Blackpool one down already. 15 minutes later they had even more cause to gripe, as they were down two-nil, and looking at an early exit.

They pulled one back in the 55th minute, but Birmingham held on to their lead to make it through to the third round, while Blackpool go out.
Result: Blackpool 1 - 2 Birmingham City
Scorer(s): Dykes, Jutkiewicz (BIR); Rhodes (BLA)
Giant killing? N/A



Team names: Cambridge United v Wigan Athletic
Match played at: Abbey Stadium

First ever meeting between the two League 1 sides, this was a cagey affair until Cambridge broke away and took the first goal with fifteen minutes to go, Wigan equalising five minutes from time, to send the match into extra time. In the final minute, as penalties loomed, the visitors scored the winner, to send Cambridge out in surely the most heartbreaking and depressing fashion possible.

Result: Cambridge United 1 - 2 Wigan Athletic
Scorer(s): Njoku (CAM); Aasgaard, Smith (WIG)
Giant killing? N/A

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Team names: Stevenage v Mansfield Town
Match played at: The Lamex Stadium

Stevenage tried hard but got nothing for their efforts, Mansfield scoring the only goal of the match just after the restart.

Result: Stevenage 0 - 1 Mansfield Town
Scorer(s): McLaughlin (MAN)
Giant killing? N/A


Team names: Barnsley v Bristol Rovers
Match played at: Oakwell

Nothing to separate the teams after 120 minutes, though the home side had the best of the chances, just couldn't convert them. And so to the penalty spot, where four players all shot past the keeper on both teams, until Barnsley nerves faltered and their fifth one was saved, Rovers going through on penalties.
Result: 0 - 0 (AET) - Bristol Rovers win 4-3 on penalties
Scorer(s): None
Giant killing? N/A


Team names: Crawley Town v Lincoln City
Match played at: Broadfield Stadium

Crawley were ahead on ten minutes and added a second three minutes later, cruising to victory and into the third round? The Imps weren't having that, and they struck back on 19 to halve the deficit and give themselves hope, the more so as they equalised six minutes before the break, the first half ending all square. And they were ahead two minutes into the restart, completing the turnaround with a fourth two minutes later, to ensure that they would be the ones going through, despite Crawley managing to get one late on. Maybe the Devil does, after all, smile on Lincoln.

Result: Crawley Town 3 - 4 Lincoln City
Scorer(s): Roles, Showunmi, Kelly (CRW); O'Connor, Makama, Ring, Moylan (LIN)
Giant killing? N/A



Team names: Solihull Moors v Bromley
Match played at: Damson Park

A long shot from Bromley caught out their keeper but the Moors could not capitalise on the mistake, firing the shot wide of the net, a golden opportunity missed. In the 12th minute though they had another chance, this time from a long throw-in, this time not missed, the home side ahead. Their lead didn't last long though, as Bromley equalised three minutes later. Suspicion of offside, but the ref said nothing and VAR was not here to spoil things, so the goal stood. On the hour the keeper missed the ball and Bromley were ahead. Solihull nearly pulled level in the final minutes but the ball smacked off the bar and it's Bromley who go through.

Result: Solihull Moors 1 - 2 Bromley
Scorer(s): Wilkinson (SOL); Sowunmi, Imray (BRO)
Giant killing? No


Team names: Peterborough United v Notts County
Match played at: London Road

Ten minutes was all it took for the home side to open the scoring, cutting through the County defence, but three minutes later that lead was gone as the visitors equalised. Things got even better for County as they went ahead after another three minutes, and could begin looking at a place in the third round, until a wayward pass from the keeper 17 minutes from time let in the home team, who shot right through the keeper's legs to tie the match. Four minutes after that the Posh turned it around, scoring again to shoot in front, and three minutes after that they made it safe with their third. County pulled one back in added time, but too little too late, and from a winning position Notts County saw their chances of progressing evaporate in the cold winter Cambridgeshire air. A pity, as the goal was an absolute cracker. But when you lose the match it kind of doesn't matter how stunning a goal you score; as they say, in the end, it's the result that counts.

Result: Peterborough United 4 - 3 Notts County
Scorer(s):Jones (2), Randall, Odoh (PET); Scott, Platt, Abbott (NCO)
Giant killing? No

[Trollheart]

Team names: Exeter City v Chesterfield
Match played at: St. James Park

It took all of the first half before Exeter scored, taking the lead in added time, and sealing the win with a second on 70 minutes to send the home side through to the third round.

Result: Exeter City 2 - 0 Chesterfield
Scorer(s): Crama, Magennis (EXE)
Giant killing? No


Team names: Accrington Stanley v Swindon Town
Match played at: The Crown Ground

Stanley were first past the post with the opening goal, but the visitors levelled just before the break, despite having had a man sent off. Swindon went ahead in the second half and looked to have booked their place in the third round, until stoppage time, when the home side equalised, to send the game into another thirty nervy minutes. Nothing happened to separate the teams during either half, and so another penalty shootout. Stanley won this one convincingly, scoring 4 of the spot kicks to Swindon's single conversion, and the home team march on to face third round opposition, while Swindon can concentrate on staying in the league, where both teams are fighting for survival.

Result: Accrington Stanley 2 - 2 Swindon Town - Stanley win 4-1 on penalties
Scorer(s): Walton (2) (ACR); Hall, Cotterril (SWI)
Giant killing? N/A


Team names: Morecambe v Bradford City
Match played at: Mazuma Mobile Stadium

Morecambe missed a sitter, failing to take the opportunity to open the scoring, but took heart when Bradford had a man sent off for violent conduct, and capitalised on the extra man advantage when they scored 9 minutes from full time to take the match. I guess you could say they "slew" the competition! Sorry.

Result: Morecambe 1 - 0 Bradford City
Scorer(s): Slew (MOR)
Giant killing? N/A


Team names: Salford City v Cheltenham Town
Match played at: Moor Lane

Bidding for a first ever place in the third round, Salford took the lead in the 20th minute, then from a penalty two minutes later the home side made sure that this would be a historic appearance in the FA Cup for them.

Result: Salford City 2 - 0 Cheltenham Town
Scorer(s): Okoronkwo, Stockton (SAL)
Giant killing? N/A


Team names: Walsall v Charlton Athletic
Match played at: Poundland Bescot Stadium

Charlton were two ahead before the break, the first coming in the 16th minute, followed by one just before the half-hour, stunning the home side. Worse was to come for Walsall, who failed to get on the scoresheet at all as the visitors added a third five minutes from time, and then twisted the knife (or maybe that should be the sword?) with a fourth in injury time. Charlton through to the third round, Walsall out.

Result: Walsall 0 - 4 Charlton Athletic
Scorer(s): Yahyai (2), Godden, Campbell (CHA)
Giant killing? No

[Trollheart]

So with all matches in the second round played, who are the

left to go through and face higher league opposition?

In alphabetical order:

Accrington Stanley
Birmingham City
Bristol Rovers
Bromley
Charlton Athletic
Dagenham & Redbridge
Doncaster Rovers
Exeter City
Harrogate Town
Leyton Orient
Lincoln City
Mansfield Town
Morecambe
Peterborough United
Reading
Salford City
Stockport County
Tamworth
Wigan Athletic
Wycombe Wanderers

These teams now have the chance to go forward and meet some serious opposition, as the third round is where, if you will, the "real" teams come into it, the ones from the Championship and the Premier League. A match against a huge team like Chelsea, Newcastle or Liverpool (for example) could be a massive cash injection for any of these smaller teams, especially if they get a home tie.

The draw for the third round follows.

[Trollheart]

And here it is.

[Trollheart]

Let's look then at what that means. Quite a few ties between teams in the same league (Championship v Championship or Premier League v Premier League) but a few interesting ones. Although it is Premier v Premier, Arsenal v Man United is one of those interesting ones. The Gunners will have the advantage, being at home, and they're well above Man United in the league, six points and seven places above them, challenging for the title, while United have just managed to struggle into the top half of the table for the first time this season. There are, as we know, no two-legged ties, so if Arsenal win then United are out, and of course vice versa.

Another all-Premier League tie is Aston Villa, who are at home to West Ham. The Hammers are really floundering at the moment, though we can't exactly be said to be shining ourselves. Hopefully the home advantage will work for us; would be a shame to go out in what would for us be the first round. One of the big stories of the round though is Manchester City playing host to League 2 Salford. City are surely in crisis now, having failed to win any of their last seven games in all competitions. Is it possible the team three tiers below them might be able to capitalise on their loss of confidence and sneak a win, knocking them out of the Cup? City at home, you would think, should help them, but their fans must be getting restless now, and the pressure could even tell against them. Salford, of course, would have loved to have been at home, but you can't have everything and it's a great opportunity for them to pull off one of the giant killings of the tournament.

Speaking of giant killings, there's a fantastic chance for already giant killers Dagenham & Redbridge, now one of the the lowest-ranked teams left in the Cup, to take on the Championship's Millwall  and add another scalp to their collection. Three tiers between them, can the Daggers enter the Lion's Den and slay the beast? Another huge game is Liverpool at home to Accrington Stanley. The league leaders appear unbeatable everywhere at the moment, and I couldn't see the League 2 side having any chance, but then, this is the FA Cup, and all it takes is a moment of magic. At any event, it will be a day their players and supporters will remember forever, when they entered the forbidding gates of Anfield to take on the almost-champions-elect.

Chelsea are another Premier League team facing EFL opposition as Morecambe travel to Stamford Bridge for their all-important tie, the Shrimps hoping no doubt that they can fell the blue colossus. But Chelsea are making short work of their competition in the league, currently sitting at third, level on points with Arsenal and, like them, 9 points behind Liverpool, so they're certainly not going to be easy to beat.

Lucky Tamworth! Even if they don't beat Spurs, they have a home tie, which means ching ching ching cash in their coffers as probably thousands of Tottenham fans stream through their gates to watch the team currently in 7th place in the Premier League take on the other National League side still left in the competition. All the pressure will be on Spurs, and who knows, with the Lambs Ground behind them, Tamworth could yet pull off one of the surprises of the tournament, and make history.

Bromley might well fancy their chances against Newcastle, who have been misfiring in the Premier League this season, but then again the Magpies are at home, and like at Anfield, St. James is often the twelfth man. A long long trip for fans of the The Ravens, all the way "oop north" from London. Talk about north and south! But if they can win, the drive down will seem like a holiday excursion, and of course they'll be going from the freezing cold and rain back to the relatively sunny climes of London.

Everton v Peterborough? You'd have to imagine the Posh would have a chance here. Everton are stuck near the bottom of the lower half of the table, and haven't won any of at least their last five matches. How funny would it be if both Merseyside teams ended up being kicked out by lower league teams? Not very, probably, also file under not likely. But Everton should not take this one for granted, I would think. Harrogate Town get a draw against Leeds for their heroics, but it's not at home. Still, it will be the classic "day out" for the fans, and who knows what might happen? Also a classic Yorkshire derby, west versus north.

Even if Ipswich Town do end up getting relegated, which at the moment seems more likely than not, they would end up in the Championship, and still be a division above League 1 side Bristol Rovers. By the time they meet though at Portman Road, the hosts will still be a Premier League side, so two tiers will separate them. Perhaps this will be where Ipswich turn it on. Conversely, it could be an embarrassing defeat for them, to add to all the other embarrassing defeats they've suffered in the top flight so far.

That leaves the last tie in which a Premier League side takes on one from the second round, and that's Crystal Palace who welcome Stockport County to Selhurst Park. If you know me, you'll know I'll be rooting for the League 1 side.

All matches will be played early in January, so that's where I'll leave this till then.