NON-LEAGUE underdogs give bite back to FA Cup
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- Created on Saturday, 16 September 2017 08:38
- Last Updated on Saturday, 16 September 2017 12:19
- Published on Saturday, 16 September 2017 08:39
So much has been written about the FA Cup it’s difficult to know where to start but surely the best stages of the competition are unfolding in front of real football fans’ eyes again.
Was anyone who follows non-League football surprised at Lincoln City’s progress in last season’s competition?
Non-League sides field their strongest starting XIs for the FA Cup. They respect the competition and its history.
For far too long money has played too big a part in sport and in football. Small wonder everyone loves to see an “underdog” bite back.
Last season that underdog was not just the Red Imps but non-League football, its teams, supporters and advocates.
Today you have the chance to watch the second qualifying round of the “real” FA Cup when non-League’s National League South sides join the knockout stages, already four rounds in.
At Twerton Park, fans’ favourite Jim Rollo takes charge of managerless Bath City as the Romans host Knaphill seeking not to get caught napping by their Combined Counties League Premier Division visitors from Surrey.
AFC Portchester upset Southern Premier Dorchester 1-0 in the last round.
Today the Wessex Premier League side will not have home advantage as they visit in-form Truro City.
Lee Hodges’ Truro have won their last five league games to soar to second in National League South but surprisingly Cornwall’s top non-League side have never progressed further than the third qualifying round.
Neither do they have an FA Cup winner in their midst. AFC Portchester are managed by Graham Rix, who won the cup with Arsenal in 1979.
Stuart Henderson’s South West Peninsula League champions Tavistock AFC will seek another cup upset as the Lambs host Southern Premier Frome Town after knocking out last season’s FA Cup local heroes Taunton Town 2-1 in a replay watched by 373.
If you can’t get to a tie today at least see if you can track games on twitter, non-League's growing grapevine.
We’ll have one of our team at Gosport Borough supporting his beloved Swindon Supermarine track twoteamsinSwindon @marineboy0125
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