Non-league sides fight for the chance to take on one of the big boys as Stockport host Yeovil in the FA Cup

The FA Cup is always an exciting competition, particularly for clubs further down the pecking order of the English football pyramid.

It offers the opportunity for vital income, outside coverage and a chance for teams to test themselves against football’s elite.

However, the competition has come under scrutiny over the last handful of seasons with it’s magic arguably fizzling out every season as sides look to focus on league commitments and field weakened lineups as a result. For those outside of the EFL though, it provides a great opportunity for teams to test themselves against outfits higher up the ladder. Two of these sides will clash on Sunday as National League clubs Stockport County and Yeovil Town meet in the second round.

Both in the fifth tier of English football, Stockport and Yeovil have had contrasting campaigns thus far. The Hatters are tenth in the National League but have two games in hand on top-of-the-league Torquay, who have a nine point advantage. However, the Glovers find themselves rock bottom, having been in the Championship as recently as 2014.

Both sides have seen turmoil in the early years of the 21st century with Stockport starting the century in the second tier but a handful of relegations and few promotions, Wembley hoodoo and administration saw the Hatters eventually drop out of the Football League for the first time since 1905 in 2011 and they haven’t been back since.

Jim Gannon’s side have had a decent start to this campaign though, and a play-off push could certainly be on the cards. They impressively finished 7th in their first season back in the fifth tier last term, having won the National League North title in 2018/19.

As for Yeovil, failure in the play-offs last season meant that an instant return to the Football League wasn’t able to happen, and the new campaign has seen the misery continue. Rock-bottom of the National League with five points from nine games, it’s been a nightmare start for Darren Sarll’s team who would’ve had genuine promotion hopes before the season begun.

Yet to meet in the league this term, Stockport County and Yeovil Town face each other in the FA Cup, meaning that it’s guaranteed one non-league team will be in the third round and will have the opportunity to potentially play a Premier League or Championship side.

It is unknown as to how both managers will treat the game, but with the prospect of a major occasion as a reward for winning the tie, surely strong lineups will be put out from both sides.

Stockport haven’t reached the third round since 2007, whereas Yeovil reached the fourth round in 2017/18, losing 4-0 at home to Manchester United. However, it won’t be as special without fans, although Yeovil should be allowed to welcome fans back to Huish Park in a few weeks when they host Notts County with the Somerset town in tier two of Coronavirus regulations.

In the last round, Yeovil oversaw a 1-0 victory at fellow-league side Bromley whilst Stockport pulled off a shock with a 2-1 win away at League One side Rochdale.

The prospect of potentially facing a Premier League outfit is too good an opportunity to miss, and so it should be an entertaining encounter at Edgeley Park where league form could go out of the window.