FA Cup first round, underdogs ready

FA Cup first round draw opened up ties that the underdogs are ready for.

Merstham, who will appear in the FA Cup first round for the first time, will face Oxford United at home.

The Surrey based village team play in the Isthmian League Premier Division, the seventh tier of English football.

Another Seventh tier side from the Southern League, Chesham, face a trip to League One club Peterborough United.

Ninth-tier Westfields will face Curzon Ashton, who upset York City 2-1 in Monday's replay. Westfields will be lowest ranked side left in the tournament regardless of the outcome of other replays.

"We are delighted we are at home, six home games on bounce now this season," Westfields chief executive Andy Morris told BBC Sport before the Curzon Ashton result. "I'm quietly confident with a home draw.

"Getting this far is a huge bonus - we have earned enough money so far to get us through this season and keep us going into next season."

Merstham had offered free drinks in their clubhouse from 19:00 until their ball, number 79, came up, but the Moatsiders' generosity was presumably shortlived as they were the fourth tie drawn.

Meanwhile, Spennymoor Town of the Northern Premier League will travel to League One MK Dons, while Stamford, who play one level below Spennymoor in the NPL South, will make the trip to Hartlepool if they beat Wrexham in Tuesday's fourth qualifying round replay in north Wales.

"What an occasion. It is all a reward for the hard work and fantastic opportunity for the supporters to go to the game and hopefully see us win," said Spennymoor manager Jason Ainsley.

A total of 39 non-league clubs joined the 48 from Leagues One and Two in the first-round draw, with the winners of seven ties still to be decided following draws on Saturday.

Bolton Wanderers and Sheffield United, both four-time cup winners, face home ties against Leyton Orient and Grimsby Town respectively.

ZT