Potential upsets in the FA Cup 2nd Round

The second round of the FA Cup is going to go under the radar in bizarre circumstances as it gets overshadowed by the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

However, for many, the drama and magic of England’s grand cup competition remains as powerful as ever and there were upsets aplenty in the first round with the potential for even more this weekend. This is a brief look ahead to some of those matches.

King’s Lynn Town vs Stevenage | 12:45 on Saturday

Doncaster Rovers’ slayers in the first round, King’s Lynn Town, are looking to make it back-to-back League Two victims in Saturday’s early kick-off. The difference this time, though, is that Stevenage are a very strong side challenging towards the top of the fourth-tier table and Steve Evans has cultivated a squad that has a bit of depth to it to be able to cope with this competition. They were given a scare by National League North’s Gateshead a few weeks ago.

Dagenham and Redbridge vs Gillingham | 17:00 on Saturday

�Getty / HENRY BROWNE

It could be argued that the non-league team are the favourites for this second round tie. Dagenham and Redbridge defeated Maidenhead United in the first round and they sit just inside the top-half in the National League. Gillingham have had an absolute nightmare of a season, needing a replay to defeat sixth-tier AFC Fylde as they languish down the bottom end of League Two, following League One relegation last season, have managed just six goals in the league all season.

Burton Albion vs Chippenham Town | 14:00 on Sunday

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink had to depart Burton Albion in August after a horrible start to the season for The Brewers and Dino Maamria has greatly improved the Staffordshire club. However, their only 90-minute victory in their last six matches in all competitions came against non-league Needham Market in the first round. Chippenham Town are one of two seventh-tier sides still in the competition after their giant-killing of League One Lincoln a couple of weeks ago.