This season’s FA Cup has reached the hallowed ground of ‘The Propers’ and with it comes the bigger clubs from League 1 and 2, TV coverage, big money and fixture alterations. This weekend sees no less than 9 separate kick off times for various 1st round matches which, for the first time this season, enables us at therealfacup to attend 3 matches in one weekend!

On Sunday, Wealdstone will take on Rotherham in the match that “won” our poll to decide where we should go. We will never know whether this tie won because it was actually the most popular match or because no-one has anything against the two sides involved but, tickets purchased and ready to go, we’re very much looking forward to the game. The form side in the Ryman Premier League and the only team to take points off runaway leaders Dartford, the Stones must at least fancy their chances. Those chances are not helped by being without striker Greg Ngoyi who was sent off in the previous round as 10-man Wealdstone saw off an Aylesbury side we saw scrape a draw with the superior Wingate & Finchley.

Monday night sees a trip to League 1 high-fliers Millwall to see if AFC Wimbledon can rekindle the spirit of 1988 and continue their FA Cup run. Wimbledon have sold out several allocations of tickets for the match already and are expected to bring more than 2000 fans to the game so this match is a big night for the Wombles and it will be interesting to see if the Blue Square Premier side can compete with a team pushing for promotion from League 1. The FA’s ‘Player of the 4th Qualifying Round’, Danny Kedwell will certainly be doing all he can to make life difficult for the Lions.

On Saturday, we will be getting an early train to Cambridge in order to give us time to watch the Paulton Rovers/Norwich tie on TV before we head to The Abbey Stadium for Cambridge United v Ilkeston Town.

These two sides are separated by almost exactly a division now, after Ilkeston’s promotion to the Blue Square North last season via the playoffs, winning in extra time against Nantwich Town.

Ilkeston have been through some difficult times. Their former owner and club saviour, Paul Millership, who saved the club when the local council sold their ground 20 years ago, died 2 years ago and was replaced by Chek Whyte, a local entrepreneur and property tycoon. Despite having so much money that he appeared on Channel 4′s “Secret Millionaire”, giving away thousands to needy individuals and groups, his business suffered in the recession and he was declared bankrupt, forcing the club to seek new owners. They have recently announced that they have managed to secure funding from an unnamed group and, with the clubs position in the top half of the Blue Square North, the future is looking brighter for the Derbyshire side. But can they cause an upset and dump Blue Square Premier side, Cambridge United, out of the cup?

Ilkeston won their last away match in the league 4-1, with a hat-trick from striker Amari Morgan-Smith – but Cambridge’s recent home form has been outstanding, beating Kidderminster and Ebbsfleet in their last 2 games without conceding a goal, whilst scoring 6.

It certainly looks to have the right ingredients for a decent cup match so why not join us? We will be passing through several of Cambridge’s hostelries on the way to the game, including The Green Dragon and The Cambridge Blue and we are hoping to watch the match from the Habbin Stand.

So, who do you think has the best chance of causing an upset and knocking out league opposition this weekend?
Vote now in our new poll!