League One meets National League in the first round of the FA Cup this weekend, as Wycombe Wanderers host York City at Adams Park on Saturday afternoon.
While the Chairboys commence their latest knockout campaign at this stage of the competition, Adam Hinshelwood's team had to navigate their way past eighth-tier Biggleswade in qualifying.
Match preview
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The fact that Wycombe's last two defeats in any competitions have been in the EFL Trophy and EFL Cup does not spell optimism for another knockout competition, but the hosts' stellar form since being knocked out of the latter tournament certainly does.
The Chairboys gave a good account of themselves in a 2-1 EFL Cup loss to Champions League-competing Aston Villa last month and have since been on the League One warpath, taking 16 points from the last 18 on offer courtesy of five wins and a draw from their last six games.
Leyton Orient rocked up to Adams Park last weekend and suffered a comprehensive 3-0 beating thanks to goals from Fred Onyedinma, Daniel Udoh and Cameron Humphreys, a result that allowed second-placed Wycombe to reduce the deficit to leaders Birmingham City.
Matt Bloomfield's men now lie just three points adrift of the 2011 EFL Cup winners in the League One table, but their quest for promotion is now put on hold for one weekend as they bid to avoid a repeat of recent history.
Indeed, Wycombe - who famously made it all the way to the semi-finals in 2000-01 - have been knocked out in the first round of the FA Cup in four of the last six seasons and were beaten in round two by Morecambe during the 2023-24 campaign.
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The hosts will certainly don the favourites tag for Saturday's fixture, but the FA Cup has never been a competition to follow the script, and the equally in-form York City have every reason to believe that they could be on the correct end of a giant killing.
Due to their status as a National League side, the Minstermen began their campaign in the final preliminary round, travelling to Bedfordshire to meet eighth-tier Biggleswade and surviving a brief scare to emerge as 3-1 victors.
That cup success preceded a near-flawless end to October for York City, who have thrashed Ebbsfleet United 4-0, conquered Barnet 3-1 and overcome Halifax Town 2-1 in their last three league matches to open up a one-point lead over Forest Green Rovers at the top of the National League standings.
A captivating four-way title fight between York, Forest Green, Barnet and Gateshead has already materialised, but Hinshelwood's men now take a break from an EFL push in favour of trying to reach the FA Cup second round for the second year running.
The Minstermen's best performance in the competition was also a semi-final appearance back in 1955, but none of their last four clashes with Wycombe have ended in victory, and not since 1999 have they prevailed on the Chairboys' territory.
Team News
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Wycombe's three-goal triumph over Leyton Orient was not quite the perfect afternoon for Bloomfield, as captain Jack Grimmer was taken off on the 29-minute mark due to a blow to the head, although it does not appear to be anything serious.
Nevertheless, the Chairboys skipper will likely be rotated out of the side as Bloomfield shuffles his pack, and the hosting boss will also have midfielder Josh Scowen back from a one-game suspension.
However, veteran striker Sam Vokes is still on the treatment table, as are Ryan Tafazolli and Brandon Hanlan, although the latter is earning some game time behind closed doors after his ACL injury and has the slimmest chance of making an appearance here.
As for York City, 25-year-old centre-back Darragh O'Connor is expected to miss another few weeks due to a groin injury, but the Minstermen came out of their victory over Halifax unscathed on the serious issue front.
Malachi Fagan-Walcott and Ollie Pearce both found the back of the net in injury time in that triumph, and the latter was also on target twice in the beating of Biggleswade, confirming his status as the visitors' danger man.
Hinshelwood has confirmed that his side are struggling with fatigue ahead of the weekend, though; all of Dipo Akinyemi, Tyrese Sinclair, Ashley Nathaniel-George, Marvin Armstrong and Malachi Fagan-Walcott were name-checked in a recent injury update.
Wycombe Wanderers possible starting lineup:
George; Skura, Low, Taylor, Harvie; Lubala, Butcher, Leahy, Humphreys; Kone, Kodua
York City possible starting lineup:
Male; Fallowfield, Batty, Howe, Fagan-Walcott; Felix, Hunt; Thomas, Armstrong, Nathaniel-George; Pearce
We say: Wycombe Wanderers 2-1 York City
The shackles should come off for a York City side with nothing to lose on Saturday, and the Minstermen have been in red-hot form in the National League, so Wycombe's backline should not emerge unblemished.
However, even a second-string Chairboys team should avoid an embarrassing exit at the hands of the non-league leaders, although their victory may not be entirely convincing.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ben Knapton
