The FA Cup first round is always a favourite weekend for non-league football followers where the David's of our game take on the Goliaths of the Football League. The prestige and national press coverage that comes with victory over a higher division team awaits for team and supporters alike.
Whereas in the top division of the English game the Big teams have got bigger with the gap between Premiership and Football League growing considerably larger each season a strong argument can be put forward for the top teams in the non-league game closing the gap against League particularly with the advent of two-up two-down from the Blue Square Premier. The top division in the non-league game is certainly more professional and of a higher quality since the old Enfield FC were relegated in 1990
There are four Ryman teams gunning for the illustriousness of a triumph over a Goliath this weekend and the cold end is hopeful at least one of our fellow league teams can win.
It's also a chance for an astute non-league fan to hopefully get one over on the bookies with some longs odds on offer.
WREXHAM V LOWESTOFT TOWN
Fellow Ryman Northers The Trawler Boys have had an amazing Cup run totally 7 games fighting their way from the Preliminary round to make the First Round proper for the first time in 30 years. Town have beaten their local rivals Great Yarmouth Town (H), Dereham Town (H), Boston United (H), Sutton Coldfield Town (A*replay) and Gloucester City (H*replay).
The Suffolk side travel to Wrexham in a 500 mile round trip having lost only five games on the road since the beginning of the 08/09 season. Former league side Wrexham have had a up and down season so far and qualified for the first round proper by beating FC Halifax Town 1-0 away. Since loosing at home to Salisbury City at the Racecourse Ground on 3rd October 2009 Dean Saunders side's form has picked up and they are unbeaten in five games (3 wins and 2 draws) currently lying in 14th place in the Blue Square Premier.
Apparently in Tuesday's 2-2 draw versus Kettering Town they were unlucky not to get all three points.
Skybet.com make the Welsh team 4/11 odds on favourites with Town at 7/1 to win and a draw at 3/1.
STOCKPORT COUNTY V TOOTING AND MITCHAM UNITED
Ryman Premier T&M are another famous non-league side making a return to the first round of the FA Cup after a long period. The Terrors were last seen at this stage in 1977 where current boss Billy Smith played in the side that lost 2-1 at Sandy Lane to Northampton Town. The South Londoners have beaten Horsham, Canvey Island, Slough Town and BSP Eastbourne Borough (after two amazing games being 3-3 and 3-4) and travel to Edgeley Park full of confidence but wanting to forget their 4-1 reverse at the hands of Chippenham Town in the FA Trophy last weekend.
County are not on good form, having a poor season and are beset by reported financial problems so will be looking to the FA Cup to raise some much needed revenue. They have only won 3 games in the league this season against Brighton, Leyton Orient and Tranmere Rovers hovering in the bottom four in League One.
In the game that the cold end saw T&M play this season versus Harrow Borough I was particularly impressed with forward Paul Vines who has scored 13 times in 17 games.
skybet.com make County 4/11 favourites with the draw being 7/2 and an away victory at 8/1 which the cold end thinks is excellent value. Well worth a speculative punt!!!
WEALDSTONE V ROTHERHAM UNITED
The Merry Millers visit Grosvenor Vale on Sunday and since God Ronnie Moore returned results haven't been brilliant. Yorkshire's finest lost to Forest Green Rovers in the cup a few seasons ago so will be not taking this match lightly. The Stone's are level on points with T&M in the Ryman Premier and last reached this stage of the competition in 1986 when they lost to Swansea City 4-1 at the Vetch Field in a replay.
Wealdstone are 9/2 to win with the draw being 3/1 and an away win at 4/7.
The Millers are a good side and have Adam Le Fondre in their ranks who scores more often then not. A hard one to call but I can see an away win just or a high scoring exciting draw with the Stone's fans looking forward to a midweek trip to The Death Valley as the Don Valley is nicknamed by Miller's fans.
HEREFORD UNITED V SUTTON UNITED
Arguably the most famous of non-league giant-killers after their 1989 victory versus Coventry City travel to Edgar Street looking to add another famous game to the 1993 victories versus Colchester United and Torquay United, the aforementioned victory versus the sky-blues and1987's wins versus Aldershot and Peterborough United. Sutton are unbeaten on the road in 5 games having last lost to Wealdstone on 31/08/2009 (2-1) and are on good form of late, ignoring the 0-2 reverse at Gander Green Lane to Tonbridge in the FA Trophy so will be no pushovers for The Bulls. Hereford having been a non-league side recently and will not be taking the game as an easy victory. Herford are 17th in League Two and in their last game beat Darlington 2-1 at home.
Hereford United are 2/5 for the win with a draw being 16/5 and a victory for Sutton United at 15/2.
all odds at http://www.skybet.com/
Somewhere a league team will fall to a non-league side and there are good odds on offer, you just have to be lucky enough to pick the right game. The cold end thinks the value lies in Tooting and Mitcham's trip to Stockport County. T&M with their new ground are a Blue Square South club in waiting and with Stockport's poor form of late (last six league games - DLWLLL) The Terrors look excellent value at 8/1. The cold end makes this my single bet of the week!!
Lowestoft Town to get some sort of a result at Wrexham also looks a good bet. The cold end recommends backing the away win at 7/1 covering this bet with the draw at 3/1.
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