The FA Cup Thread 2024

[Trollheart]

Team name: Wycombe Wanderers
Home city or town: High Wycombe
Area: Buckinghamshire
Nickname: The Chairboys, The Blues
Home ground: Adams Park
Manager: Matt Bloomfield
Currently playing in: EFL League 1
Tier: 3
First opponent in Round One: York City
Highest position achieved: Championship
Giant Killing(s) Grimsby Town, Wolves, Wimbledon (2001) ; Leicester (2-1, 2001)
Best FA Cup Run: Semi-finals
Rivals: Bishop Auckland (presumably not based in Auckland, at least, not that one!), Slough Town, Colchester United, MK Dons, Oxford United, Luton Town, Reading, Plymouth Argyle

Can't tell you a huge amount about these guys. They started in the lower regional leagues and made their way into the EFL, which is pretty impressive, and they had tragedy when one of their players died in a car accident and the manager's wife passed away from cancer, both in 2006, and in fact within months of each other. I find it a little harsh then that the manager was fired shortly afterwards. No room for human compassion and understanding in the Beautiful Game? It's not even as if the team was in trouble, sitting sixth in the league. Hard-hearted bastards. Two fucking months after he lost his wife. Jesus.

[Trollheart]

Team name: York City
Home city or town: York
Area: North Yorkshire
Nickname: The Minstermen (not the Mister Men!)
Home ground: York Community Stadium
Manager: Adam Hinshelwood
Currently playing in: National League
Tier: 4
First opponent in Round One: Wycombe Wanderers
Highest position achieved: Championship
Giant Killing(s) West Brom, Middlesbrough (1938); Arsenal (1-0, 1985)
Best FA Cup Run: Semi-finals
Rivals: Hull City, Scarborough, Halifax Town, Luton Town

Before we finish up, I want to raise a point here. With very few exceptions, football players seem to have been seen as being exempt from war service, in both World Wars. I wonder is this because the government thought it was important to keep people's morale up, with them playing football through the conflict? Or was it that clubs, worried about losing players they had made major investments in possibly, asked for or demanded special dispensation? And what about the chairman and other boardroom staff of these clubs? They weren't playing, so what would it matter if they headed off to fight for king and country? Suppose they'd say someone had to be there to look after the club and pay the wages.

All of which probably alerts you to the fact that I doubt I'll have much to write about this, our last club, and am desperately trying to fill up space so that there's something there, but I'm also genuinely curious. With the remark I made previously about the white feathers and the way people who did not sign up were regarded by others, especially women, I just wonder how football players managed to avoid war service? Not that anyone should enlist in any army and go to war, but considering the national fervour and sense of patriotism at the time - "England expects" and all that - it's surprising to me how few footballers served. With, as already noted, some extremely honourable exceptions.

So, what can I tell you about York City? Well, contrary to public belief, they don't come from the city that created the chunkiest milk chocolate bar in the world, but they do come from one of the hotspots during that minor disagreement between royal houses in the fifteenth century, the Wars of the Noses. Roses. Wars of the Roses. Yes, I know: I'm filling up more space with pointless banter. Sue me. The average settlement is ten thousand dollars.

Okay, York once had a player called Arthur Bottom, and no, he wasn't the only no-legged player in the game. Amusing though. I know, I know! I'm looking. You know how hard this is, separating dry, boring statistics from dry, boring information I can actually use? Thank a god I don't believe in it's almost over now. What was I thinking? Well, the finish line is in sight. One last spurt - sorry about that; got a bit excited. Better go change my underwear - one last push and we'll be there.

Right. York seem to have spent a lot of their time being relegated - winter of their discontent? Sorry - and climbing back up, only to be knocked back down again. Who started singing that Chumbawamba song? Stop it: it's very distracting. Where was I? Oh yeah. In 2001 the club was put up for sale, in dire financial straits, and bought by a racing driver, who promptly sent it into administration. When you read further, that's not so surprising, as a sponsorship deal worth 400K which should have rightly benefited the club went instead to his racing team, after which he fucked off, unseen for dust. Charming.

[Trollheart]

Ok footy fans, that's it!


Ninety-two teams in the first round of the 2024/2025 FA Cup first round, and I've told you all I can about them. At least now you have a better idea of who's playing. Probably a huge waste of time, but it's done now.

The FA Cup begins on November 2, and runs to May 17 of next year, progressing through five rounds before we hit quarter-finals, semi-finals and then the final. But round one begins in 10 days, when I'll be back to take you through all the action.

Till then...

[Trollheart]

Rather to my disappointment - but perhaps I should have expected this - there is no official television coverage of the First Round. Two channels (ITV and BBC) are broadcasting one match each, but that's it. There appear to be no highlights shows, and despite my hope that Match of the Day would do an FA Cup special, they of course are not, as right now all the Premier League teams are still playing in, well, the Premier League, and won't enter the FA Cup till later rounds. So unless they did a separate show (which they don't seem to be doing) they can't replace the Saturday/Sunday shows, as there are still Premier League matches to be played.

As a result of that, all I can do is try to catch the matches being shown live, if I can, and then piece together details of the others, as I often do, from Wiki, BBC Sports and other match reports. In all, there are five matches being shown, but the other channels, the ITV ones, are not ones I pay for and so are not on my system. I've managed to add them (after some trouble) but they cannot be recorded, so I would have to watch each match live. Plus they can't be paused, which presents its own problems. In reality, I expect I'll only get to watch the two being shown on BBC.

I'm not even sure if I can find league tables to show where the various teams are in their own leagues; for the lower ones such as the National or Northern Premier Leagues, I feel this is very much doubtful, but I'll do what I can.

So I'll try to add what colour I can to my reports, reminding you of who the teams are and what their achievements, if any, have been, without, if possible, just copying and pasting from my other posts. I'll add in what humour I can, make my own observations as to what may or may not have happened, and generally make the mess I do of things when I don't have the actual matches to watch.

Hey, that's the FA Cup for you!

[jimmy jazz]

TAMWORTH JUST KNOCKED OUT HUDDERSFIELD!

Well done lads!

[Trollheart]

Full match report coming up in due course. The Lambs went to the slaughter but ended up savaging the Terriers, and didn't they deserve it!

[Trollheart]

Team name: Tamworth v Huddersfield Town
Home city or town: Tamworth v Huddersfield
Area: Staffordshire v West Yorkshire
Nicknames: The Lambs v The Terriers
Match played at: The Lamb Ground
Managers:  Andy Peaks v Michael Duff
Currently playing in: National League v EFL League 1
Tier: 5 v 3
Position (if available) or Form:++ 16th/Relegated from the Championship but 6th in League 1 at the moment
Expectations:* On paper, Huddersfield would appear to be the ones with the advantage here, having already won the Cup, but as they always say with this tournament, take nothing for granted.
Prediction: Huddersfield Town 3 - 0 Tamworth
Giant Killers?** No
Best FA Cup run: Third Round /Winners

When you consider that Huddersfield have just recently been in English football's second-highest tier, the Championship, and by contrast, Tamworth are made up of part-timers (their goalkeeper is a full-time builder AND was working on the day of the match!), you begin to see the enormity of the task of giant killing here for the lads from Staffordshire. They're not even doing well in the National League, currently sitting 16th, which, while it doesn't put them in danger of relegation, doesn't exactly mean they will be expecting to see the giddy heights of the Football League any time soon. Still, I hear they've achieved back-to-back promotions over the last two years, from the Southern Premier League, to get to where they are today, and maybe they are on a slow climb up. An FA Cup upset would probably do wonders for their season, of course, and you'd expect them to survive in the league.

However they were facing a team which had already won the trophy, even if that was a century ago, but in some ways there was more pressure on the League 1 side, as the last thing they wanted to do was bow out in the first round, especially to a team way below them. Pride would definitely figure in the game for Huddersfield, and they would take nothing for granted. Being on the telly might add another layer of pressure, possibly, as their mistakes/glories would be there for all the nation to see as they happened. A great financial boost for the Lambs though, as each team would be paid by the League if the game was televised from their ground. No doubt that money will come in very handy for Tamworth, no matter the outcome. With replays now no longer a thing in the FA Cup, this would be the smaller teams' best chance of making money, as before this, should the original match be played away,  a draw would allow them to play the rematch at their own ground, resulting in higher revenue for them.

But the main thing was, if not to win the match, at least give a good account of themselves and try not to look like a team of part-timers.  In front of their home fans, they'd be anxious to perform well. They had the first attack on goal within three minutes, having been given a free kick, but the Huddersfield keeper punched it away. Tamworth showing no fear, that's for sure, not cowed by the big occasion. They also defended well when Huddersfield got down their half, which wasn't as often as you might have expected.

First corner to the visitors, but it came to nothing, then the gulf between the teams, or at least the grounds, became clear when the Tamworth net had to be fixed as it was coming away at the corners! Ah, don't you just love the FA Cup? A long throw worthy of Rory Delap almost let Tamworth in on 12 minutes, then there was a cry for a penalty for handball, but VAR isn't being used here, and the ref didn't see it, so no dice. A moment afterwards the visitors went close but the ball just went inches wide of the post. A warning, perhaps, for the Lambs?

Huddersfield seemed to be settling in now and taking control of the game, but we hadn't even played 15 minutes, so a long way to go yet. Tamworth got their first corner halfway through the first half, but on the half-hour it was still scoreless. The Terriers came close with eight minutes to go when they got a free, but the Tamworth keeper/builder made a fine save to keep them out as time ticked down, the Lambs surely the happier of the two. With two minutes to go the home side struck, scoring their first goal of the tournament and shocking the League 1 side as another of those Delapesque long throws found its target, Creaney went up for it but Maxwell, the Huddersfield keeper, actually punched it into his own net, under pressure from the Tamworth man. Really, though an own goal, you'd give huge credit to Tonks, who launched it into the area like some sort of grenade or something, and the goal owes a massive amount to his long throw. A minute later they could have been two ahead, but Creaney shot straight at the keeper, who this time was able to keep it out. So at the break, to the delight of the home fans and the dismay of the visitors, Tamworth were ahead.

A cagey opening to the second half then, as Huddersfield, perhaps with more respect for the minnows, carefully tried to build up attacks while Tamworth were intent on keeping their one-goal lead, and even possibly adding to it, but surely well aware that a single goal was a hard advantage to keep with half the match to go. No complacency here from the part-timers, and no running away with themselves or dreaming of Wembley or anything; there was a job to be done.

A second "Tonks Torpedo" almost had them two up, but Maxwell had learned his lesson, then a corner came to nothing, but Tamworth pressing for the second, but well able to defend too when they needed to.  Past the hour and it was still one-nil to the Lambs, Huddersfield unable to make the breakthrough. Mind you, the home side almost gifted them a goal when Cullinane-Liburd nearly lobbed his own keeper, but thankfully for the Lambs it went just past the post.

13 minutes to go and Tamworth nearly had another, securing the game as McGlinchey got on the end of another Tonks throw, but this time Maxwell was equal to it. The National League team definitely in the ascendancy though, as they had been all through the game really. Huddersfield wasted three corners, including one in the last four minutes, each being easily claimed by the Tamworth keeper. Time running out for the League 1 team.

In fact, the Lambs nearly got a second from a corner in the dying moments, but over the top it went. It was pretty clear that this was the danger time; should Huddersfield snatch what would be at this point an unlikely equaliser and force the game into extra time, Tamworth would be demoralised and might capitulate. And with seven added minutes shown, the Lambs were definitely living on their nerves, unless they could make certain of the victory by netting again.

In fact, in the first minute of extra time it almost happened for the Terriers, Wiles shooting just wide of the post, and again on 93 but this time saved. A desperate, last-minute flurry of chances by Huddersfield came to nothing, as Tamworth took the game and became giant killers, knocking Huddersfield Town out of the FA Cup. And it wasn't even as if they fluked a goal - well, okay it was an own goal but well deserved - as Tamworth controlled the game and honestly, Huddersfield were lucky not to go down two or three nil. But one will do, and it's a great night for the non-league team. There'll be no silence of the Lambs tonight in Tamworth - the whole town will be rocking. Well done, you Lambs!

Result: Tamworth 1 - 0 Huddersfield Town
Scorer(s): Maxwell (og) (TAM)
Effect: Huddersfield go out, Tamworth advance to the Second round
Match rating:
Giant killing? Yes
Giant killings total so far: 1
Eliminated:



Prediction turned out to be: Wrong
Predictions so far: R 0 W 1


* = Though you can never predict the outcome of a match in the FA Cup, I'll be trying to do so on the basis of form and perhaps league position. Probably get it wrong each time, but what the hell.

** = this time I won't list them all, just a yes or no, and it will only refer, of course, to any previous ones, not this year's tournament.

++ = Position is obvious: what position are they in their particular league? Form is a little more nebulous, and would be something like are they on their way up or down, fighting relegation, about to be champions of their league, midway, just promoted or relegated etc.

[Trollheart]

Team name: Northampton Town v Kettering Town
Home city or town: Northampton v Burton Latimer
Area: Northamptonshire v Northamptonshire
Nicknames: The Cobblers v The Poppies
Match played at: Sixfields Stadium
Managers:  Jon Brady v Richard Lavery
Currently playing in: EFL League 1 v Southern League Premier Division Central
Tier: 3 v 8
Position (if available) or Form:++ 18th/1st
Expectations:* It would be a giant killing indeed if tiny Kettering Town, playing in the 8th tier of football, beat the mighty Northampton, who are just below the Championship, though stranger things have happened. I would expect the Cobblers to walk this one though. Sorry.
Prediction: Northampton Town 4 - 0 Kettering Town
Giant Killers?** Yes
Best FA Cup run: Fifth round /Fourth round

A second giant-killing in one day would be too much to ask for, wouldn't it? Wouldn't it? Well, as I keep saying, this is the FA Cup, and tiny Kettering Town hold the highest score in the competition, at a staggering 920. Not even Premier League teams can equal that! Also, Kettering have a list of giant-killings as long as your arm, with big names like Bristol City and Notts County notched up to the SLPDC team, while Northampton Town just have the one, in fact the team knocked out by Kettering's fellow minnows Tamworth earlier today, Huddersfield Town. And that was back in 1934! Add to this the fact that Kettering, though in tier 5, are first in that league whereas their opponents are struggling in League 1, trying to stay above the relegation zone, and well, it could happen. We have, literally, seen it.

This is also a derby of sorts, as both teams come from the same area, Northamptonshire, and there must be some sort of rivalry between the high-flying (but currently falling) League 1 team and the tiny team who are top of the Southern League Premier Division Central, with the latter surely out to prove something. Northampton were on the attack within seconds though, all the possession with the League 1 team.Kettering had their own shot on goal with 10 minutes, the header into the keeper's gloves.

Without question, the League 1 team were playing far better than had Huddersfield Town in their game against Tamworth, and almost got their reward on the quarter-hour, but the goal was ruled offside and nil-nil it remained. It looked like the goal should have stood, but with no input from VAR the ref's word was final and it was ruled out. Different atmosphere here, of course, as the match was being played at the home ground of the League 1 team, so all the cheers were for Northampton. Still, for all the home support and all the admittedly fine football from the Cobblers, it was Kettering who had arguably the best chance of the half, clear through on goal before the keeper snagged it, both teams having had their scares now.

It was Northampton who struck first though, amazingly another own goal to open a match as Johnson stuck out his leg and diverted the ball into his own net, to put the Cobblers ahead almost on the half hour. They could have doubled their lead a few minutes later but over the bar it went, another good shot with 7 minutes to go but straight at the keeper. And again on 40. You'd have to say that Northampton's finishing needed work for sure. After all, they were in the lead but only through an own goal.

Kettering weren't doing so great either though, having hardly had a shot on goal, and as the half wound down it didn't look like that was going to change, nor did it, and so advantage with the home team as the kettles began to boil. Though continuing in control of the game, the home side showed their lack of finishing when McCarron was again straight through but could not beat the man in front of the Kettering net. The same from the corner they got on 55, straight into the keeper's arms.

You know, if Kettering could get themselves together, they could have a chance here, Northampton far from in a commanding position and possibly made to rue all those missed chances. And the visitors came close on 57 with two bites of the cherry, but failing to make the Northampton net bulge. It did get them their first corner - which they completely wasted - and then they were back defending while the Cobblers went on the attack again. And on 68 Kettering levelled, as had been somewhat on the cards. Pretty bad for the home team, who should have been home and dry by now, and were now staring at an equaliser which, given what they had done so far, didn't look too likely they could overturn. An exciting last twenty minutes then, or a dogged struggle to keep it at a draw and go to extra time, maybe penalties?

Advantage definitely with the visitors now, and if any team looked like scoring again, and possibly winning the match, it was them. A lot of action down the Kettering half but mostly wasted effort as Northampton desperately tried to get back in front. The last ten minutes saw Kettering push forward in search of a winner, and nearly get it two minutes from time, but the Northampton keeper was grateful to be able to catch it, then in the last minute of added time it was the Cobblers who spurned the chance to take all three points, and into extra time we went.

Hardly a minute gone when Kettering got a corner and Ranger blasted a header past the Northampton keeper to put them in front, both their goals now having come from headers. In the 5th minute it was the Cobblers' turn to get a corner, but this time it was wasted, Kettering still in front at the end of the first half of extra time. Just hold on for fifteen more minutes and they were through to the second round.

In the second minute of the second half Kettering almost shot themselves in the foot, giving the ball away in front of their goal, but luckily their keeper was alert and gathered. Northampton beginning to play now, as they watched the tie slip away from them, but had they left it too late? Yes they had, and unable to break Kettering down, it was the Poppies who won, to take down the League 1 side and win the unofficial derby, and more importantly a place in the second round.


Result: Northampton 1 - 2 Kettering Town
Scorer(s): Johnson (og) (NOR), Miller, Ranger (KET)
Effect: Northampton go out, Kettering march on
Match rating:
Giant killing? Yes
Giant killings total so far: 2
Eliminated:
 

Prediction turned out to be: Wrong
Predictions so far: R 0 W 2

[Trollheart]

Okay had to wait for the last match to be played last night before I could continue really. There are some changes. And here they are.

Predictions are gone. I'm shit at them anyway and they're a bit pointless unless you know what you're talking about, which I never do.

Position/form is gone, as this information was too hard to come by, and in the case of some teams, impossible.

Effect is gone; once I realised there were no replays, the effect was always going to be the same: loser goes out, winner goes on.

Ratings are gone, as many of the highlights I watched (there were over 40 matches) were just too short to form a proper opinion on, or idea of how the match went.

Now that we've sorted that out, let's go. We got a lot to get through.



Team name: Rotherham United v Cheltenham Town
Home city or town: Rotherham v Cheltenham
Area: South Yorkshire v Gloucestershire
Nicknames: The Millers v The Robins
Match played at: New York Stadium
Managers: Steve Evans v Michael Flynn
Currently playing in: EFL League 1 v EFL League 2
Tier: 3 v 4
Expectations:* Something more of an even match-up, so to speak, with both teams in the EFL, though a division apart.
Giant Killers?** No
Best FA Cup run: Fifth round /Fourth round

The visitors were ahead with a bit of a comedy of errors when the Rotherham keeper fumbled the ball from a corner, but his blushes were spared when his team raced down the opposition end and banged the ball past his counterpart, levelling the match. The home side's keeper could not be blamed for the second Cheltenham goal, which was a thing of beauty, and they sealed it with their third just before the hour, to assure their own progress and leave the home fans muttering about that bloody keeper, perhaps unfairly. But then, what do football supporters know about fairness, especially when their team has been knocked out of the FA Cup?


Result: Rotherham 1 - 3 Cheltenham Town
Scorer(s): Wilks (ROT), Colwill (2), Archer (CLT):
Giant killing? Yes
Giant killings total so far: 3
Prediction turned out to be: N/A
Predictions so far: R0  W 2

[Trollheart]

Team name: Barrow v Doncaster Rovers
Home city or town: Barrow-in-Furness v Doncaster
Area: Cumbria v South Yorkshire
Nicknames: Bluebirds v Rovers
Match played at: Holker Street
Managers: Stephen Clemence  v Grant McCann
Currently playing in: EFL League 2 v EFL League 2
Tier:  4 v 4
Expectations:* Very much an even match in terms of positions, with both teams playing their football in the EFL League 2, however from what I read Doncaster Rovers have never even qualified for the FA Cup prior to this, whereas Barrow have made it to the third round, also taking a major scalp in Brentford, back in 2009. So I'd actually go for the home side on this one.

Giant Killers?** Yes/No
Best FA Cup run: Third round/Never qualified

Barrow could have taken the lead but for the heroics of the Doncaster keeper, and it was in fact Rovers who scored the first, and only goal, seven minutes from time, to send them through to the second round.


Result: Barrow 0 - 1 Doncaster Rovers
Scorer(s): Kelly (DON)
Giant killing? No
Giant killings total so far: 3

Prediction turned out to be: Wrong
Predictions so far: R0  W3

[Trollheart]

Team name: Worthing v Morecambe
Home city or town: Worthing v Morecambe
Area: West Sussex v Lancashire
Nicknames: The Rebels v The Shrimps
Match played at: Woodside Stadium
Managers: Chris Agutter v Derek Adams
Currently playing in: National League South v EFL League 2
Tier: 6 v 4
Expectations:* Morecambe would appear to have this. They've made it further in previous Cups, they have two giant killings under their belt (Cambridge United and Chesterfield, both in this century) and they play two tiers above their opponents.
Giant Killers?** No/Yes
Best FA Cup run: Second round/ Third round

Another Delapesque long throw had the visitors ahead here in the seventh minute, but Worthing held them off gamely for another 81 before Morecambe took their second two minutes from time to confirm their qualification for the second round.

Result: Worthing 0 - 2 Morecambe
Scorer(s): Slew, Williams (MOR)
Giant killing? No
Giant killings total so far: 3

Prediction turned out to be: Right (first time!)
Predictions so far: R1  W3

[Trollheart]

Team name: Boreham Wood v Leyton Orient
Home city or town: Borehamwood v Leyton
Area: Hertfordshire v London
Nicknames: The Wood v The O's
Match played at: Meadow Park
Managers: Luke Garrard v Richie Wellen
Currently playing in: National League South v  EFL League 1
Tier: 6 v 3
Expectations:* It would be quite a giant killing if Boreham Wood, playing in tier 6, beat the EFL's Leyton Orient, but then, the home side have an impressive collection of giant scalps in their bag, including Wimbledon, Bournemouth, Blackpool and Southend. Orient, however, are no slouches in that department either, having taken down Chelsea, Fulham, Norwich and Swansea, all teams that are playing, or have played in the Premier League. They've gone further in previous Cups, reaching the semi-finals whereas Boreham Wood have only ever made the fifth round. Orient have also been in the top tier of English football themselves, so on balance I'd have to go for them, but it may be tighter than expected.

Giant Killers?** Yes
Best FA Cup run: Fifth round/Semi-finals

12 minutes on the clock and the League 1 team, who had been controlling the game from the off, struck, as Leyton Orient notched up their first goal of the tournament, giving the home side an even bigger mountain to climb. Boreham Wood kept them from adding to that score though until the second half, when it all began to happen, and the magic of the FA Cup was sprinkled around Meadow Park as a second goal for Orient three minutes into the half was suddenly looking not so secure on 68 when the minnows struck back to halve the deficit. Game on!

6 minutes to go and the National League South side equalised, leaving a stunned Leyton Orient looking at a comfortable two-goal lead having vanished and extra time looming. Orient went in search of the winner, their 87th minute strike only kept out by a powerful save by the Boreham Wood keeper, time creeping away. The Wood could have grabbed a famous win in extra time when they got a free, and scored, Meadow Park in delirium. Unfortunately, the man with the flag ruined the celebrations, and no VAR to turn to.

And so into extra time we went, Leyton Orient probably wondering how they had ended up here, and now fighting to take a tie which both should have been well won in the first 45, and had almost slipped away from them in the second. 10 minutes into extra time the Wood's chances seemed to have increased as the League 1 team had a man sent off. Surely the football gods were smiling upon them?

Three minutes to go and again Wood could have taken it, had it not been for the acrobatics of the Leyton Orient keeper. Penalties on the horizon? Surprising to think that a team playing so far behind them could have driven Orient to this extreme. However, not every  ending is a happy one for the little guy, and not every small team can be a giant killer, and Orient settled it with a fine set of penalties, only one missed to Boreham Wood's three. Leyton Orient breathed a sigh of relief, but the National League South team can be proud of themselves. More than once there, it just looked possible.


Result: Boreham Wood 2 - 2 Leyton Orient (3-1 on penalties to Leyton Orient)
Scorer(s): Marsh, O'Connell (BOR), Perkins, Agyei (LEY)
Giant killing? No
Giant killings total so far: 3


Prediction turned out to be: Right
Predictions so far: R2  W3

[Trollheart]

Team name: Exeter City v Barnet
Home city or town: Exeter v Barnet
Area: Devon v London
Nicknames: Grecians v Bees
Home ground:
Match played at: St. James Park
Managers: Gary Caldwell v Dean Brennan
Currently playing in: EFL League 1 v National League
Tier: 3 v 5
Expectations:* This is a hard one. Exeter are the team playing in League 1, yet Barnet, two tiers below, have four major giants killed, including Newport County, Sheffield United, Stockport County and Bristol Rovers, the last three of whom all fell to them as recently as 2019, so they're no stranger to taking down the big teams. Exeter spent wilderness years outside of the Football League, so may not be quite the formidable opposition they appear to be. For once, I'm going for the little guy on this one.

Giant Killers?** No/Yes
Best FA Cup run: Third round/Fourth round

Exeter were ahead comfortably and must have thought this would be a doddle against a team two tiers below them, but Barnet shot back to level it before the break. Then, to the agony of the home fans, the Bees were ahead in the second, and it looked like Exeter might be going out. Enter a substitute, who won a penalty which the captain converted to level the tie.

But if the Grecians thought that was the game put to bed, Barnet woke them up with a late goal that allowed them to retake the lead, until Exeter got a second penalty, and we were all square again. Extra time? Not quite, as Exeter scored again to take the lead for the third time, in the sixth minute of added time, and set the seal on it with their fifth in the eleventh. I think this may, so far, be the highest-scoring game in round one! Who would have thought it?


Result: Exeter 5 - 3 Barnet
Scorer(s): McGennis (p) (p) (3), Bird, Doyle (EXE), Glover, Brunt, Kabamba (BNT)
Giant killing? No
Giant killings total so far: 3

Prediction turned out to be: Wrong
Predictions so far: R1  W4

[Trollheart]

Team name: Carlisle United v Wigan Athletic
Home city or town: Carlisle v Wigan
Area: Cumbria v Manchester
Nicknames: The Blues v The Latics
Match played at: Brunton Park
Managers: Mark Williamson v Shaun Moloney
Currently playing in: EFL League 2 v EFL League 1
Tier: 4 v 3
Expectations:* Wigan have a massive pedigree in the FA Cup, having won it once and also kicked out the mighty Man City not once, not twice, but three times. Their other major scalp is... Carlisle United! Though this was way way back in 1934, you have to imagine this will be seen as something of a historic grudge match. In addition to those accomplishments, of course, Wigan have played in the Premier League, though not that recently. Carlisle, on the other hand, have no big names under their belt but did reach the quarter-finals themselves. I doubt it will be enough though, and I would imagine the sheer force of history and experience will tell. Wigan for the win.

Giant Killers?** Yes
Best FA Cup run: Quarter-finals/Winners

Carlisle were already looking at a major battle against League 1 and former winners of the Cup Wigan when they were slapped with a red card and down to ten men. Not a good start, but they defended well and kept Wigan out, the match ending 0-0 and heading into extra time, where the man advantage finally paid dividends for the visitors, Smith scoring in the 105th minute and that seemed to be that.

Not so, as the ten men doggedly fought back, and could have levelled only for a spectacular save by the Wigan keeper, but with time running out Carlisle committed all remaining ten men for a last-minute corner, and when it came to nothing their goal was undefended. Smith (not the same one) won the race and bagged Wigan's second, slotting the ball into the empty net to ensure their progress, and leaving a battling Carlisle side somewhat red-faced, but that's the chance you take when you send your keeper up field.

Result: Carlisle United 0 - 2 Wigan Athletic
Scorer(s): Smith, Smith (two different ones) (WIG)
Giant killing? No
Giant killings total so far: 3

Prediction turned out to be: Right
Predictions so far: R2  W4

[Trollheart]

Team name: Brackley Town v Braintree Town
Home city or town: Brackley v Braintree
Area: Northamptonshire v Essex
Nicknames: The Saints v The Iron
Match played at: St. James Park
Managers: Gavin Cowan v Lennie Lawrence
Currently playing in: National League North v National League
Tier: 6 v 5
Expectations:* Two teams from the National League, though Brackley are a lower tier side, playing in the National League North. Overall I think they might cancel each other out.
Giant Killers?** Yes/No
Best FA Cup run: Second round/ Second round

Brackley were the danger team here, it seems, their players twice going close but being denied, and Braintree clung on through extra time and into penalties, where the lower tier side won 5-4. A day for the underdogs, even if the other team were kind of over-underdogs, if you will.

Result: Brackley Town 0 - 0 Braintree Town (Brackley win 5-4 on penalties)
Scorer(s): None
Giant killing? Yes
Giant killings total so far: 4

Prediction turned out to be: Right
Predictions so far: R3  W4