OUR REMAINING HOPEFULS STILL ON CLOUD NINE
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THE 150th Anniversary FA Cup continues on Friday night with the second round and with the fewest number of Non-League clubs involved at this stage of the competition for 15 years.
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Of the nine NonLeague sides in the second Round, two of them kick off proceedings on Friday night. These include National League side Stockport County, travelling to League One Rotherham United fresh on the back of their terrific first round defeat of Bolton Wanderers from the same division. The Hatters will be further buoyed by the fact they have a two-to -ne win record against their Yorkshire opponents in past FA Cup encounters.
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Also on Friday night, National League North Gateshead host former FA Cup winners Charlton Athletic from three levels above them in League One. Charlton haven’t won more than one FA Cup game in the same campaign for eight years and a win for Gateshead would equal the Heed’s best FA Cup run.
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Saturday lunchtime sees the tie with the biggest gap in league status of the round as the lowest ranked side still standing; Buxton, from the Northern Premier League Premier Division, host League One opposition in the shape of Morecambe. It is 63 years since the Bucks last appeared in the second round and 70 years since their one and only third round appearance. A win for either side would mean equalling their best ever FA Cup run.
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On Saturday evening, National League side Yeovil Town host League Two Stevenage. Yeovil hold the record for having knocked out the most Football League sides as a NonLeague club, and with home advantage, will fancy their chances of making Stevenage their 21st scalp.
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There will be at least two Non-League clubs in this season’s third round thanks to two allNon-League ties. Kidderminster Harriers from National League North host National League FC Halifax Town on late Sunday afternoon. Harriers last made the third round eight years ago, whilst the Shaymen are looking to achieve that feat for the first time since re-forming.
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The other all-NonLeague tie takes place on Monday night and sees St Albans City, of National League South, travel eight miles down the road to face local rivals Boreham Wood. It’s the first time St Albans have appeared in the second round for 25 years and they have yet to go further in the competition, Boreham Wood made the third round for the first time last season – their 50th FA Cup campaign. Wood won the two clubs’ only other FA Cup tie four years ago when a place in the first round was up for grabs.
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The ninth NonLeague side in the second round is National League Chesterfield who last went beyond this round seven years ago. The Spireites travel to League 2 side Salford City who have never gone beyond the second round before.