When you think of the FA Cup, you instantly think of dramatic shocks and minnows slaying giants. A ‘cupset’.
It has become an almost inevitable tradition of this famous old competition and the first round this weekend has thrown up plenty of opportunities for just that.
Of the 32 non-league clubs to have made it this far, 24 of them will come up against EFL opposition.
There has already been one upset with Tamworth beating League One Huddersfield Town on Friday but which other fixtures will be making the headlines? We’ve taken a look at five ties to keep an eye on.
Cupset brewing for winless Burton?
Burton Albion are yet to win a single game in League One and are rooted to the foot of the table, seven points adrift from safety.
The Brewers are on a run of eight straight defeats in all competitions and their only victory so far this season came against Leicester City’s Under-21s in the EFL Trophy on 20 August.
Two months and 11 games of football have passed since then and despite being three divisions lower, Scarborough Athletic will surely smell blood when they arrive at Pirelli Stadium.
Burton do have a recent history of succumbing to lower league opposition, losing 1-0 away at Barnet, who were two tiers below in the National League, in the first round in 2020-21. They were also knocked out by League Two Grimsby Town in the third round in 2023.
Meanwhile, their National League North visitors have won five of their past eight matches in all competitions.
The Seadogs, led by former Manchester United, Middlesbrough and West Brom player Jonathan Greening, will believe they can inflict yet more misery on the managerless Yellow and Black Army.
Seaside shock for Shrimps?
Another EFL club struggling is League Two’s bottom side Morecambe with just one league win from 14.
The Shrimps have found some respite in cup competitions, winning both their EFL Trophy games, and have also made it to the third round of the FA Cup in three of the past four seasons.
But Morecambe did crash out at this stage in 2018-19 to non-league FC Halifax Town who were one division below in the National League.
There are two tiers separating them from their opponents Worthing, who are currently fifth in the National League South.
The Rebels have won seven of their past eight games in all competitions and have only been defeated once at Woodside Road so far this season (W5, D1).
“To be honest, if I’m in Morecambe’s shoes, it’s a horrendous draw,” Worthing boss Chris Agutter told BBC Radio Sussex as they seek to progress to the second round for the first time since 1982-83.
“We go into every game with the attitude of front foot, be aggressive, attack the game. It’s great to be welcoming a Football League club to Woodside.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to show what we can do and try and impress our game on the opposition and play on our terms. We back ourselves to be successful.”
Tranmere looking Rocky…
All the talk about Tranmere at the moment is based around rapper A$AP Rocky’s shock interest in buying the club from joint owners Mark Palios and his wife Nicola.
But there might be another surprise on the horizon for Rovers who are struggling in 19th place in League Two with just three wins from their opening 13 games.
Nigel Adkins’ men welcome to Prenton Park on Saturday an Oldham Athletic team in the hunt for promotion from the National League.
Micky Mellon’s side have won eight of their past 10 matches in all competitions and have lost just once away from home this season (W4, D3).
You have to go back to 2011 to find the last time Tranmere lost to lower league opposition in the FA Cup when they were beaten 1-0 at home by Cheltenham Town who were in League Two and Rovers in League One at the time.
But with the respective form of these two, the Latics might just fancy their chances of being in the hat for the second round draw.
Resurgent Southend aiming to catch out Addicks
If this tie was being played four weeks ago, you might not have given National League Southend United a chance against League One Charlton Athletic.
But the Shrimpers have rallied to win three and draw one of their past four games following a run of just two victories in their previous 10 (D3, L5).
The Addicks arrive at Roots Hall unbeaten in five and will be aiming for promotion to the Championship this season.
But Charlton are susceptible to a ‘cupset’, losing 2-0 away to League Two Gillingham in the second round last season and 3-1 in a replay at Stockport the year before, who were also one division below.
There are two tiers between these sides but will that matter on Saturday?
Stockport trying to fend off Green Army
Stockport’s rise from the National League to League One over the past three years has been remarkable – but they will need to be on red alert to avoid falling foul of a cupset.
And it’s a National League side they welcome to Edgeley Park this weekend in the shape of Forest Green Rovers who are second in the table and in excellent form.
Steve Cotterill’s Green Army have won 10 of their past 14 games in all competitions and face a tough challenge against a team who sit 39 league places higher.
But if there’s one cause for optimism for Forest Green, it may be that just last season, County – who were in League Two – lost 1-0 at home to non-league Aldershot Town.
