Non-Televised Match Previews / Richard Walker / 02 January 2009 / Leave a Comment

Richard Walker tells us why in a match that neither Birmingham nor Wolves want to see go to a replay, it could be the visitors that find their name in the hat for the next round. Plus previews of Chelsea v Southend, Cardiff v Reading and Leyton Orient v Sheffield United.

There are 27 non-televised FA Cup ties taking place this Saturday afternoon, so plenty of opportunity to try your laying or backing prowess at something a little different for this, always one of the most enchanting weekends of the football calendar.

It's a veritable feast of football with inter and intra-divisional clashes all over the place. Among those games, here are a few pointers to four of the ties - just to help you get started...

Birmingham City [2.5] v Wolverhampton Wanderers [3.1], The Draw [3.45]

Arguments about promotion to the Premiership being the primary concern can be justifiably put forward from both camps here, since the pair make up two of the three teams who've cut loose atop the Championship right now. So that means there's no excuses either side.

Blues would arguably have the deeper squad at their disposal but I fancy neither side will be inclined towards anything other than a victory in this West Midlands derby.

Although Alex McCleish's side let very few in, they've not scored more than one in a game for a month. The pair met in late November at Molineux for league points and a lively encounter ended 1-1. I don't expect a glut of goals again but there just might be enough to spill Over 2.5, since neither side would relish the prospect of a replay to add to the 46-game Championship slog. It's going against the grain to suggest there could be a few goals but I can see at least three.

For a game that's hard to split, I can see Wolves taking this at what I'd consider a very decent price.

Recommendations:

Back Wolves to win at [3.1], or lay Birmingham to a [2.54] liability if you're not so sure
Back Over 2.5 goals at [2.14]
Back 2-1 to Wolves at [12.0], with a 2-2 cover at [18.0]

Cardiff City [2.42] v Reading [3.15], The Draw [3.6]

Steve Coppell is just about the only manager in English league football who's consistently 'got away' with saying that he does not value an FA Cup run in the slightest. I say 'got away with', since Royals' fans have happily traded that for league results over the past few seasons. And, to be fair to the Reading manager, at least the fans travel to these games in the knowledge they won't be seeing a full strength side. Even their official website uses the phrase 'as usual' when talking about team line-up changes for this tie.

Yet of course they'll not be rolling over for their hosts - remember they held Man United to a goalless draw at Old Trafford a couple of seasons back - but I think last season's runners-up Cardiff City, going really well this season currently fourth in the Championship table - have the fire-power to prey on this less-than-100% approach.

Despite Michael Chopra returning from loan to Sunderland, I can see Jay Bothroyd, Paul Parry or perhaps Eddie Johnson getting the job done for the Bluebirds.

The frenzied Ninian Park faithful will accept nothing less than an all-guns-blazing attempt to win, with those two Wembley visits from last year still fresh in their mind. With as kind a draw as last time, it could be Cardiff's year for a big run again.

Recommendations:
Back Draw/Cardiff at [6.0] to reflect Reading's dogged nature, but ultimately a home win
Back Jay Bothroyd To Score, roughly [3.5] when that market develops
Back Under 2.5 goals, acknowledging it'll be tight, at [1.89]

Chelsea [1.13] v Southend United [36.0], The Draw [10.0]

Unlike talk of selection choices affecting the outcome in the two games above, there should be no such doubts at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon.

I'm not for a minute - and it would be just for effect - going to suggest that the Shrimpers have a prayer of winning this one, but I reckon The Draw might be worth at least a small percentage stake by way of cover.

That would be to suggest that Steve Tilson's United are able to squash and compact the match, such that their hosts won't open them up. Yes, unlikely I know. It'll be a dose of 4-5-1 for Southend, no doubt, perhaps even 5-4-1, while Chelsea bomb on with their usual 4-3-3 or an idiosyncratic version of it.

This would have been an ideal game for Big Phil to blood young striker Franco Di Santo but it looks as if he'll still be out injured. One of Pinky or Perky (Drogba or Anelka) will surely start and that alone should be curtains for the visitors.

Recommendations:

Back a Chelsea clean sheet at [1.64]
Back 3-0 to Chelsea at [8.0]
Have just a small cover on The Draw at [10.0]

Leyton Orient [4.5] v Sheffield United [1.95], The Draw [3.6]

O's club captain Stephen Purches - the former Bournemouth stalwart - has been lamenting his side's measly two league wins at Brisbane Road so far this season, and I can't see too much hope of respite for them here but it just might be a draw, this one.

Buoyed but what will be a larger-than-usual gate, Martin Ling's League One strugglers might find the wherewithal to hold visitors Sheffield United, themselves ticking over nicely in the Championship Play-Off picture.

The O's last home win came back in early November so let's rule out that option but I think there might be a spot of value in an all-square scenario.

Blades' striker Danny Webber hasn't scored too many this year - just two to be precise. He did notch last time out, however, so I'll side with the former Manchester United starlet to use this tie as a spring-board to a happier 2009.

Kevin Blackwell won't want a Bramall Lane replay, but Orient's expansive passing game might open up his more physical types in defence. It's possible this won't be one-way traffic.

Recommendations:

Back The Draw at [3.6] (but be prepared to cover a United win with other selections)
Back both Draw/Draw [5.6] and Draw/United [5.4] in the Half-Time/Full-Time market
Back Danny Webber for First Goalscorer, around [8.5] when the market takes shape

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