Road to Wembley 2023

Well here we are again.
The FA Cup kicks off again with the Extra Preliminary Round matches being played on the week-end of Saturday 6th August.

As always there will eventually be three 'Roads'.

The initial one (in Red) will start at the Extra Preliminary Round.
The 2nd Road (Purple) will start in the 2nd Qualifying Round, featuring Havant & Waterlooville's tie
The 3rd Road (In Blue), also known as the Jim Bowen (This is what you could have won) Road, will start with Pompey's tie in Round One.

So, to the Red Road.

I have decided to cross the Solent to the Isle of Wight this season, starting at Westwood Par, for the tie between:

COWES SPORTS v Hamble Club

The Yachtsmen are in the Wessex League Premier division (Level 9), a division in which they finished 16th (out of 21)
They have twice reached the Fourth Qualifying Round (1957-58 and 1963-64)
Last season they went out in the Extra Preliminary Round after being comprehensively beaten, 5-1, away to Blackfield & Langley

The Monks are in the same division as their hosts. Last term they finished five places higher, in 11th.
The FA Cup has not been their greatest competition. They have only once reached the dizzy heights of the Preliminary Round, in 2018-19
Last season they lost 2-3 at home to Corsham Town in the Extra Preliminary Road

The winners will be at home in the Preliminary Round, against either Larkhall Athletic or Folland Sports

 

Our first match ended COWES SPORTS 1-0 Hamble Club so it's first blood on the road to Wembley for The Yachtsmen.

Their opponents in the Preliminary Round are Larkhall Athletic.

COWES SPORTS v Larkhall Athletic
The Larks are in the Southarn League Division One South.
At Level 8, this puts them a 'division' above their opponents.
They are here by virtue of a 4-1 win over Folland Sports in the Extra Preliminary Round.
Their best FA Cup run saw them reach the Third Qualifying Round two seasons ago; a run that came to an abrupt end with a 6-0 thrashing by Weston-Super-Mare.
Last season they fell at the first hurdle with a 1-2 home defeat by Lymington Town in the Extra Preliminary Round.

 

After a 1-1 draw at Westwood Park, all eyes will be on Plain Ham as the Yachtsmen travel to Bath for the replay on Wednesday 24th August!

 

Replay result:

Larkhall Athletic 4-2 COWES SPORTS (AET - 2:2 after 90 mins)

So the baton changes hands as the Larks progress into the First Qualifying Round, where they will be at home to Cirencester Town.
This round sees the introduction of teams from the Northern, Southern and Isthmian Premier Divisions.

FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND
LARKHALL ATHLETIC v Cirencester Town
The Centurians are in the Southern League Division One Central, so are at an equal level to the hosts in the non-league pyramid.
They have so far accounted for Clevedon Town in the Preliminary Round, after a replay.
They have never reached the First Round Proper, but they have made it as far a the Fourth Qualifying Round in 2001-02 and 2003-04.
Last season they made it as far as the Third Qualifying Round, where they went down 3-2 at Hungerford Town of the National League South.

 

FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND
LARKHALL ATHLETIC 0-2 Cirencester Town

So it will be CIRENCESTER TOWN who carry the Red Baton into the SECOND QUALIFYING ROUND.

It is at this stage where the teams from national League North and South enter the fray, which means we will be starting the Purple road, featuring the tie involving HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE.

 

The draw for the SECOND QUALIFYING ROUND has been made.

I'll update details when I have more time, but our two featured matches are......

Merthyr Town v CIRENCESTER TOWN
and
HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE v AFC Totton

 

The SECOND QUALIFYING ROUND matches take place this weekend.

Merthyr Town v CIRENCESTER TOWN
Merthyr Town were founded in 1909 and played in the Football League from 1920 to 1930, but the club folded in 1934 and were replaced by new formed Merthyr Tydfil F.C. in 1945. In 2010, the club reformed again after Merthyr Tydfil F.C. was liquidated. Both versions of the club played at Penydarren Park. (wiki)
The Martyrs are in the Southern League Premier Division South, which is a level higher up on the pyramid than the visitors
Entering in the first qualifying round, they had a comn=fortable 5-2 win at home to Truro City
FA Cup runs have eluded them. Even in their time in the Football League they reached Round Two on only one occasion; in 1928-29, when they went out to Watford.
Last season they were knocked out by Hamworthy Utd in the First Qualifying Round

HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE v AFC Totton
As we all remember, the Hawks' best cup run was in 2007-08 (the year Pompey last won the cup) when they reached Round Four and took the lead twice against Liverpool at Anfield, before bowing out 5-2.
Last season they reached Round One, where they succumbed 4-0 at the Valley to League One Charlton Athletic

The Stags are currently in The Southern League Division One South, which is two steps below the National League South.
Their best cup run came in 2011-12, when they reached Round Two before losing 1-6 at home to Bristol Rovers
Last season they took an early exit, going down 2-1 at Basingstoke Town in the Preliminary Round

 

SECOND QUALIFYING ROUND

Merthyr Town 1-1 CIRENCESTER TOWN

HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE 1-0 AFC Totton

So the Hawks are through to the Third Qualifying Round, while the Martyrs and the Centurians will need a replay

 

The replay ended CIRENCESTER TOWN 1-2 Merthyr Town.

So it's onwards ans upwards for MERTHYR TOWN as they progress to the 3rd Qualifying Round

 

THIRD QUALIFYING ROUND

Both of our sides have away ties as they aim to reach the Fourth Qualifying Round, where they will be joined by sides from the National League and be 90 minutes away from The First Round Proper.

Gloucester City v MERTHYR TOWN
The Tigers are currently in National League North, which puts them a level higher than the visitors.
They are here on the back of a 1-2 away win at Hungerford Town
Their best cup run saw them reach a replay against Cardiff City in Round Two. this was in 1989-90
They were knocked out at this stage last season, losing 1-0 at Folkestone Invicta

Carshalton Athletic v HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE
The Robins are in the Isthmian League Premier Division, which is a level lower than The Hawks.
They have so far knocked out VCD Athletic and Westfield.
Their best effort was an appearance in Round TWO, in 1982-83, when they went down 4-1 at Torquay Utd
Last season they exited in the 2nd Qualifying Round after a 1-2 home defeat by Ebbsfleet Utd

Ties to be played on the weekend of Saturday 1st October

 

Gloucester City 0-1 MERTHYR TOWN

Carshalton Athletic 0-2 HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE

So it's 'as you were' with the same two sides carrying the respective batons into the Fourth Qualifying Round.

This is the last round before the First Round Proper and the victors of the Third Qualifying Round are joined by the 24 clubs from The National League.

 

The draw has been made for the Fourth Qualifying Round, from which the winners will progress to Round One, joined by the sides in League One and League Two.

MERTHRY TOWN v Folkestone Invicta
Invicta play in the Isthmian League Premier Division, which puts them on a par with their hosts in the non-league pyramid.
They have so far disposed of North Greenwood Utd, Chichester City and Dulwich Hamlet.
They have reach Round One on one occasion. This was in 2005-06 when they lost 2-1 at Chester, who were in League Two at the time.
They went out at this stage last season, going down 2-3 at home to Eastleigh

HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE v Weymouth
The Terras are also in National League south, having been relegated from the National League last season
They have beaten Winchester City and Welling Utd to reach this stage
They reached the Fourth Round in 1961-62, losing 2-0 at Preston.
Last season they went out on penalties to Yeovil Town in the Fourth Qualifying Round.

Ties to be played on the week-end of Saturday 15th October

 

Better late than never after my little jaunt to Majorca!

Fourth Qualifying results:
MERTHRY TOWN 2-1 Folkestone Invicta
HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE 1-2 Weymouth

So we have reached Round ONE, whee we add the third (Blue) baton; the Jim Bowen 'This is what you could have won' baton, featuring POMPEY

Our three ties are as follows:

Buxton v MERTHRY TOWN
This is one of six all Non-League ties.
The Bucks ply their trade in the National League North so are a level higher than the visitors
They have seen off Alfreton Town, Bamber bridge and Hyde Utd to reach the First Round Proper
Their best ever cup run saw them reach Round Three in 1951-52, when they finally ran out of luck at Doncaster, with a 2-0 defeat
Last season they reached Round TWO, before going down 0-1 at home to Morecambe

WEYMOUTH v AFC Wimbledon
Weymouth's reward for knocking out the Hawks is a home tie against AFC Wimbledon
The Wombles are in League Two, after relegation last season. This still has them two divisions higher than the hosts
As a League club, they are entering the competition at this stage
Without going into the politics (yes the original Wimbledon won the cup in 1988), the best cup run of AFC Wimbledon was in 2018-19, when they reached round FIVE, losing 0-1 at home to Millwall
Last season they went out in Round THREE, losing 2-0 at non-league Boreham Wood

Hereford v POMPEY
Another Phoenix club, which replaced the now defunct Hereford Utd.
Founded in 2014, the Bulls are currently in National League North, which places them three levels below Pompey.
They have already knocked out Bromsgrove Sporting, Three Bridges and Bromley to reach this stage
Again, going only by the record of the existing club, their best run came in 2017-18, when they took Fleetwood Town to a replay in Round TWO
Last season they lost 0-1 at home to Solihull Moors in the Fourth Qualifying round.

Pompey's game at Hereford is live on BBC Two (which means we'll lose ) on Friday 4th November, with the other two ties on Saturday 5th.

 

Hereford 1-3 POMPEY
Pompey avoided the banana skin and carry the Blue Baton into round TWO

 

Buxton 2-0 MERTHRY TOWN

BUXTON therefore take over the Red armband for the next round


WEYMOUTH 1-1 AFC Wimbledon
A replay will be needed to see who continues with the Purple Baton

 

The draw has been made for Round TWO

Ipswich Town v BUXTON
The Tractor Boys are in League One, which places them three levels higher than their visitors
They saw off non-league opposition in Bracknell Town in Round One.
They have won the cup once, in 1977-78
Last season they were beaten 2-0 at Barrow in a Second Round replay

WEYMOUTH or AFC WIMBLEDON v Chesterfield
The Spirites are currently in the National League, a level above Weymouth and a level below AFC Wimbledon
They have so far seen of Anstey Nomads and Northampton Town in this year's competition.
they reached the Semi-Finals in 1996-97, when they too Middlesbrough to a replay, before eventually going down 3-0 at the second time round
Last season they reached Round Three before being thrashed 5-1 by Chelsea


POMPEY v MK Dons
The Dons are in the same division as Pompey
Like Pompey they saw off non-league opposition in Round One, dispatching Taunton Town 6-0
Their best cup run came in 2012-13, when they reached Round FIVE, ending in a 1-3 home defeat to Barnsley
Last season they went out in Round One, with a 2-1 replay defeat at the hands of Stevenage

Ties to be played on the week-end of Saturday 26th November

 

No giant killing in the replay, so after a 3-1 win it is AFC WIMBLEDON who will entertain Chesterfield

 

In between the excitement of the World Cup fixtures, the FA Cup Second Round is this weekend!