[ad_1]
| Dates: 1-4 December |
| Coverage: Watch York City v Wigan Athletic on Friday on BBC Two, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website & app (kick-off: 19:45 GMT) and Alfreton Town v Walsall on Saturday on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website & app (12:30) |
Ten non-league clubs – including Ramsgate from the eighth tier of English football – are one win from landing a potential lucrative FA Cup tie against Premier League opponents.
They will join holders Manchester City and record 14-time winners Arsenal in the draw for the third round if they win this weekend.
There are 20 second-round matches over four days, with sixth-tier Alfreton Town’s home game with League Two Walsall live on BBC One on Saturday (12:30 GMT kick-off).
National League York City at home to 2013 winners Wigan Athletic is live on BBC Two on Friday (19:45 kick-off).
Seventh-tier Horsham have been reinstated and are away at League Two’s bottom club Sutton United on Saturday (15:00).
Second-round winning teams receive £67,000 in prize money.
Premier League and Championship clubs enter at the third round on the weekend of 6-7 January. This season’s FA Cup final takes place at Wembley on 25 May 2024.
The non-league clubs dreaming big
York City (home v Wigan Athletic, Friday, 19:45)
It’s 10 years since Wigan defeated Manchester City in the final. Since then the Latics have bounced around the Championship and League One. Will they come a cropper at York, 19th in the National League, in front of the live BBC cameras?
Alfreton Town (home v Walsall, Saturday, 12:30)
Part-time Alfreton, ninth in National League North, have never reached the third round. They will have to get past League Two Walsall if they are to make club history but will have the backing of around 2,500 home fans in Derbyshire.
Maidstone United (home v Barrow, Saturday, 15:00)
Like Alfreton, Maidstone are also from the sixth tier of English football. They are managed by George Elokobi, who played in the Premier League for Wolves. Will he mastermind an upset against League Two’s in-form club Barrow, who face a near 700-mile round trip?
Barnet (away v Newport County, Saturday, 15:00)
Barnet did the double over Newport the last time these two sides met in League Two in 2017-18. And the non-league club – third in the National League – will be confident of returning from Wales with another victory and a place in the third round for the first time since 2019.
Horsham (away v Sutton United, Saturday, 15:00)
Will Horsham make the most of their second chance in the FA Cup? Beaten by Barnsley in a first-round replay, they won a reprieve after their opponents were removed for fielding an ineligible player. Defeat Sutton, bottom of League Two, and the club from the seventh tier will be in the third round.
Eastleigh (home v Reading, Sunday, 13:30)
Reading are in free-fall. In League One’s relegation zone, they face a tricky tie at National League Eastleigh. It is only two seasons ago that the Royals, a Premier League club 10 years ago, were eliminated by non-league Kidderminster Harriers.
Chesterfield (home v Leyton Orient, Sunday, 14:00)
Chesterfield are flying in the National League. Eleven points clear at the top, Paul Cook’s side will be eyeing another upset against League One opponents after knocking out Portsmouth in the first round.
Aldershot Town (home v Stockport County, Sunday, 14:00)
Stockport are top of League Two but will not be relishing a trip to Aldershot after the National League club scored an incredible seven goals at League Two Swindon in the previous round.
Yeovil Town (away v Wrexham, Sunday, 15:45)
Wrexham and Yeovil were National League rivals last season but while the Welsh club were promoted to the Football League, Yeovil were relegated to National League South.
Ramsgate (away v AFC Wimbledon, Monday, 19:45)
Ramsgate, who play in the eighth tier, are the lowest ranked side left. The Isthmian League South East side, who have pocketed £63,069 in FA prize money for reaching this stage, will be dreaming big when they face AFC Wimbledon from four leagues above.
How to follow on the BBC
As well as the two televised live games, the BBC will have coverage of all this weekend’s FA Cup action.
Final Score on BBC One on Saturday (16:30) will have news of all the upsets while there is a highlights show featuring all the goals from the weekend on BBC Two from 18:00 on Sunday.
There is radio commentary of Notts County against Shrewsbury on 5 Sports Extra on Friday from 19:40, while the same station will have a further two commentaries – Maidstone United-Barrow from 14:55 on Saturday and Wrexham-Yeovil from 16:00 on Sunday.
FA Cup second-round live televised games
Friday, 1 December
York City v Wigan Athletic, 19:45 – live on BBC Two, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website & app.
Saturday, 2 December
Alfreton Town v Walsall, 12:30 – live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website & app.
Sunday, 3 December
Eastleigh v Reading, 13:30 – live on ITV1, UTV, STV and ITVX.
Wrexham v Yeovil Town, 15:45 – live on ITVX.
Monday, 4 December
AFC Wimbledon v Ramsgate, 19:45 – live on ITV4 and ITVX.
