With the First Round Proper within touching distance, The Real FA Cup bloggers are hoping some of the FA Cup's minnows can barge their way into the main draw.
OK, here we go, this is the big one for the lowest sides left in the competition. If they can just win this and keep their excited, twitching fingers crossed that the next draw is kind to them, they might just bag themselves a mighty league side.
This year is somewhat different to its predeccesors in that there are a number of big clubs in the Blue Square Premier League. St Albans, for example, have already hit the big time already with a draw against Luton, just eight miles down the road. But for the rest, this next game is a conduit to something similar.
Sheffield FC v Tipton Town (Evostick Division 1 South v Midland Football Alliance – 1st)
Sheffield FC will be hoping for Sheffield Wednesday, Tipton Town will be hoping for Walsall. It won't be lost on either team that they are both among the lowest-placed half dozen sides left in. Sheffield will be favourites but unlike Mossley, Hythe and Poole, who face significantly higher league opposition Tipton should not 'fancy it' and take their only slightly lower league opposition seriously.
Tipton's FA Cup record only stretches to a handful of seasons and this is already the furthest they've got, by three whole rounds. Their first defeat of the season on Tuesday night couldn't really have come at a worse time. Until that time they'd won 16 of their 19 games.
Sheffield have as much desire to get there - they haven't managed it for 120 years! As an old friend of ours Ian Feeley from Sheffield FC says of this game, "History in the making…….Where will you be? Roger Bannister breaking ‘The Four Minute Mile’, England winning the 1966 ‘World Cup Final’ ... all sporting events in the past that people wish they had been at." We'd loved to have gone to this but sadly we have to be in London on Saturday. So, if anyone fancies taking some photos and writing a match report ...
Poole Town v Hayes & Yeading United (Wessex Premier League 1st v Blue Square Premier – 20th)
If Poole can get through then Bournemouth is the obvious neighbour they'd hope to draw but Southampton would be a decent consolation prize. They got to the Third Round, as Poole, in 1926, but were beaten 3-1 by a Dixie Dean hatrick for Everton in front of 65,000 people. They've also taken QPR and Watford to replays so it's not uncharted territory.
One of the largest English towns without a professional football team, Poole, arguably, have the hardest task of all the minnows. It would take four promotions for them to get into the same league as Hayes & Yeading. But they are top of the Wessex League and H&Y are only just outside the Blue Square Premier relegation zone, so dare to dream.
Steve Smith and Russell Cook have scored 28 goals between them so far this season for Poole. But, back from injury trying to keep them out will be experienced net-minder Lee Harrison, although, and he won't thank us for reminding him, he was 'giant-killed' by Hednesford whlie playing for Barnet.
Hythe Town v Staines Town (Kent Premier League 6th v Blue Square South 14th)
After disposing of Concord Rangers of the Ryman Premier league in the previous round, the lowest ranked team left in the Cup should have high hopes of causing an upset. They'd take it but the Hythe manager's pre-match notes show that the league is the priority. He's right, of course, and, as much as we love the FA Cup, it's a fair point. Hythe have the best attendances in their league and could cope with a step up. And, if they win their games in hand they will go top of the league and some way to proving they deserve it.
Ebbsfleet United v Boreham Wood (Blue Square South – 5th v 21st)
ITV's coverage game may not have the glamour or upset potential of some other ties but it does at least have a clear favourite and a team that neutrals will want to have a modicum of success. We think. As we mentioned in the previous round, Ebbsfleet's unique ownership model promises to bear fruit quite soon. Their unbeaten run now stretches to 10 games and they beat Boreham Wood in the league last Saturday. The Wood, themselves aren't doing too well but over the last 15 years or so have had fairly regular appearances in the propers and have a decent Cup pedigree.
As usual, the fixtures can be found on the FA website and pop over to therealfacup for a slightly different spin and reports from previous rounds. If you can get to a game, go to one where there's a chance of a shock. Go on.
We'll be back next week with the final review of the REAL bit of the FA Cup before riding off into the sunset to let the big clubs get on with it. We'll also be dishing out some awards for services to excellence over the last two months.
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