Three EFL clubs in need of a cup run

The FA Cup is notorious for providing giant-killings, surprise results and thrilling underdog stories, but it can also be a welcome distraction from an underwhelming league campaign and reaching the third round to secure a stellar-tie against a Premier League side can breathe new life into a season.

This weekend the second round ties are taking place, and whilst there are plenty of chances for non-league sides to claim an EFL scalp, there is also ample opportunity for struggling League One and League Two sides to take the pressure off under-fire managers with a convincing win or excite the fans by qualifying for the next round.

Here are a trio of Football League clubs who could really do with a run in the cup:

Portsmouth 

vs. King’s Lynn Town (3pm Saturday at Fratton Park)

A side that is fourth in League One may seem an odd choice to deem in need of a strong performance in the FA Cup, but since Portsmouth lost out in the third tier play-offs to Sunderland in 2019 manager Kenny Jackett has been under constant pressure.

An underwhelming playing style has often been held against the experienced former Millwall and Wolves manager despite Pompey finishing in the play-off spots again last season and being on track to challenge for promotion again this campaign.

Whilst supporters probably won’t be satisfied until the South Coast club has made a return to the Championship, a run in the cup could provide a distraction from the grind of the league campaign and also allow Jackett to take the handbrake off in games where there are no points to play for.

Saturday’s second round game against King’s Lynn of the National League should be the perfect opportunity to entertain fans watching at home. The Linnets have the joint worst defensive record in the fifth tier after being promoted from the National League North last season, suggesting the likes of Ronan Curtis and John Marquis should be licking their lips.

The Norfolk-based club did dump League Two Port Vale out of the cup in the last round though, indicating taking them lightly will only create further problems for Jackett.

Last season saw Pompey record a win in the FA Cup against Barnsley from the division above as they reached the fifth round, eventually bowing out to Arsenal in a glamour tie at Fratton Park. This run undoubtedly helped to take minds off an up-and-down league campaign that ended with Jackett’s side sneaking into the top six on points per game.

A similar cup run this season could help to ensure that there are smiles on faces by the time fans return in the New Year.

 

Bradford City

vs. Oldham Athletic (3pm Saturday at Valley Parade)

Bradford City are sitting 20th in League Two, on a run of only one win in their last eight league games and seemingly more likely to be relegated out of the Football League for the first time in their history than make a return to League One by the end of the campaign.

This is an alarming situation for a club that was only denied a place in the Championship by a late Millwall goal in the 2017 play-off final to find itself in, and whilst current manager Stuart McCall is a club legend, his third spell at Valley Parade is on the verge of collapsing.

However, everyone knows that a run in the cup can help turn a good season into a great one, or in Bradford’s case, a disastrous season into a mediocre one.

Their 7-0 win against Tonbridge Angels of the National League South in the first round is the type of result that gets fans dreaming of mixing it with the big boys in the latter stages, and the Bantams are of course a club with a great cup pedigree in their recent history, reaching the final of the League Cup in 2013 and the quarter-finals of this competition in 2015.

On Saturday they take on fellow League Two side Oldham Athletic, another club that has fallen on hard times over the past few seasons. The Latics are currently three places above Bradford in the league table, but are in significantly better form, winning six of their last eight in all competitions – including a win at Bradford in the EFL Trophy.

Whilst this is not the draw that McCall would have been hoping for, it does provide an opportunity to galvanise a fanbase that is quickly losing faith in him by beating a divisional rival and setting up a potential plum tie in the next round.

 

Bristol Rovers

vs. Darlington (1.30pm Sunday at The Memorial Stadium)

Whilst Paul Tisdale looks a good appointment to replace Ben Garner at Bristol Rovers, and has plenty of time to steer the Gas clear of the relegation trouble they find themselves in, it is fair to say the former Exeter City and MK Dons manager has made an underwhelming start to his reign at the Memorial Stadium.

A defeat to fellow strugglers Swindon in his first game in charge was followed by an uninspiring 0-0 draw at bottom of the table Wigan in midweek, meaning the club find themselves in the relegation zone heading into FA Cup weekend.

On top of this, Rovers have only won six games across all competitions in this calendar year.

A cup run could therefore be a welcome opportunity to improve the mood at the club and help Tisdale get some wins under his belt.

They take on Darlington at home in the second round, and whilst the National League North side will probably see this as a decent opportunity to claim another scalp after beating Swindon in the last round, a professional display from Rovers should see them in the hat for round three.

The draw at Wigan was the first clean sheet the West Country club have kept this season, so taking on a side from three divisions below should be a decent opportunity to inspire some confidence among the backline – although the FA Cup is rarely so straightforward.

Defeat certainly won’t cost Tisdale his job, but a win would go a long way to making the Memorial Stadium a more harmonious environment.

 

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