Third Round Qualifying - Never underestimate an under-dog.

Third Round qualifying this weekend and my current team, National League South Slough Town had a home fixture against Bristol Manor Farm from the Southern League Division One South. Slough Town were definitely going into this game as favourites to be in the draw for the next round but you should never underestimate an under-dog.

When you read, the Slough manager is unhappy, you just no something has gone wrong and you would not be wrong. Slough have to contend with a replay Tuesday night after a 2-2 draw Saturday.

The visitors twice had to fight back from behind in this tightly fought game after Slough took an early lead. It wasn’t until the second half that the visitors pulled the goal back and within ten minutes the lead was restored to the home team before another goal squared the game up. Now they will have to do it again with the winning side receiving £15,000 from the FA prize fund.

You know how much I love the BBC’s coverage of the early rounds of the FA Cup and via the iPlayer, we were offered the game between Southern League Division 1 East Peterborough Sports and high flying Chorley of the Vanarama National League North. The gap between the two team gave the game to Chorley on paper but fact in the awful weather could there be an upset.

No, it was not to be and in front of a 404 attendance and the weather, Chorley managed a comfortable 3-0 win. Peterborough Sports were on the back foot through most of the game with the weather helping to keep the score down as Chorley could have scored more. In the next round, the top National League teams enter the competition with high profile Salford City a plum tie for any remaining team still in the Cup after this round.

No Welsh interest in this round but in the next draw National League Wrexham will be in the hat.

Route to Wembley (Bold my Team)

Third Round Qualifying Slough Town FC 2 – 2 Bristol Manor Farm FC Att 486

Second Round Qualifying (Replay) – Sholing FC 0 - 3 Slough Town FC Att 327

Second Round Qualifying - Slough Town FC 2 – 2 Sholing FC Att 465

First Round Qualifying (Replay) - Hamworthy United FC 0 - 1 Sholing FC Att 149

First Round Qualifying – Sholing FC 0 - 0 Hamworthy United FC Att 230

Preliminary Round - United Services Portsmouth FC 1 - 3 Sholing FC Att 131

The Extra Preliminary Round - United Services Portsmouth FC 5 – 2 Andover Town FC Att -