This weekend is the first round proper of the FA Cup, which will involve 80 clubs all wanting to take one step closer to the third round and a possible glamour tie with the Premier League elite.
Shrewsbury FA Cup
>The 32 non-league clubs who have got through qualification will be joined by the 48 clubs from League One and League Two, and this mix has thrown up some intriguing games, which we preview here.

Haringey Borough v AFC Wimbledon

The excitement of the FA Cup starts this weekend on Friday night, when Haringey Borough, of the Isthmian Premier League, host League One side, AFC Wimbledon. https://twitter.com/EmiratesFACup/status/1060594803719761921

Haringey are enduring a difficult league season, perhaps due to the distraction of this brilliant cup run. They have yet to win at home in the league, but did beat Poole 2-1 in front of their own fans in the last round of the cup.

Their visitors, AFC Wimbledon, have a rich FA Cup tradition, having won the competition when they pulled off one of the biggest shocks in English football. The Crazy Gang of the former Wimbledon FC beat all conquering Liverpool at Wembley to lift the trophy back in 1988.

This season, The Dons have found it tough in League One and sit just one place off the bottom. They come into the game off the back of seven straight league defeats, but did register a morale boosting 4-0 win against Stevenage in the Checkatrade Trophy in midweek.

We definitely see both teams scoring, but can Haringey force a replay?

Get both teams to score and AFC Wimbledon win @9/5 with novibet

Haringey to get a draw and force a replay is 5/1 with MansionBet

Maidenhead v Portsmouth

The Saturday lunchtime kick-off sees National League side, Maidenhead United, welcome League One leaders, Portsmouth, to their York Road stadium.

Maidenhead sit in the National League relegation zone and have lost their last six league games, including a 6-0 defeat at home to AFC Fylde, and 7-0 loss at Havant & Waterlooville. In the fourth qualifying round, they had to come through a replay against Chippenham Town of the National League South, eventually beating the 10-man visitors 1-0 to get this opportunity.

Portsmouth, who have previously won the FA Cup twice in 1939 and 2008, couldn’t be in more contrasting form to their hosts. They have lost just twice in all competitions this season and sit top of League One with a 3-point advantage.

In Maidenhead, Portsmouth should find an easy passage through to the second round of the cup and there could be quite a few goals too.

Get Portsmouth to win and over 2.5 goals scored @ 4/5 with Novibet

Over 4.5 goals in the game is 4/1 with MansionBet

Met. Police v Newport County

The Met. Police, who play in the Southern League Premier Division South, the seventh-tier of English football, welcome League Two, Newport County to Imber Court on Saturday, hoping to cause another upset.

The Met. Police started their FA Cup campaign back in September, when they beat Cray 3-2 at home to start this incredible journey. They then had to win two replays in the following rounds, before surprising National League side, Havant & Waterlooville, with a 1-0 success to reach the FA Cup first round proper for the first time in six years. They currently sit down in thirteenth in the league, with much of their focus on this cup run.

Their Welsh visitors, Newport County, are enjoying a good season and currently sit in sixth-place in League Two. Having somehow staved off relegation to the National League last term, Newport have surprised many with their league form, but do come into this fixture having enjoyed just one win from their last seven games.

They reached the fourth round of the FA Cup last year, after causing a huge upset by beating Leeds United 2-1 at Rodney Parade, before taking Tottenham to a replay in round four, before bowing out after a 2-0 defeat at Wembley.

It is going to be a huge day for everyone involved with the Met. Police FC, but we just cannot see them carrying on their superb cup run. We’re backing Newport to progress, but it might not be plain sailing.

Newport to win 2-0 is @ 6/1 with Novibet

Get draw half-time, Newport full-time @ 16/5 with Betfair