South Shields vs. Forest Green (Saturday, 12.00pm)
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League One outfit Forest Green Rovers will be bidding to progress to the second round of the FA Cup when they make the trip to South Shields on Saturday afternoon.
South Shields have had to win four matches in this season's competition to progress to the first round, overcoming Workington, Shildon AFC, Marske United and Scunthorpe United.
We say: South Shields 0-2 Forest Green Rovers
South Shields were excellent against Scunthorpe in the last round of the competition, but we are finding it difficult to back the home side here. Forest Green will have superior quality all over the field, and we are expecting the League One side to progress to the next round.
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Bradford vs. Harrogate (Saturday, 12.30pm)
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It will be a local West Yorkshire derby on Saturday in the FA Cup when Bradford City welcome fellow League Two side Harrogate Town to the Northern Commercials Stadium.
The visitors are without a victory in their previous three matches in all competitions, which they will want to change in their first-ever meeting with the Bantams in this competition.
We say: Bradford City 2-1 Harrogate Town
With this being a local derby this is likely going to be a closely contested match, with Harrogate Town having confidence from recent results away at Bradford.
However, the Bantams have been the stronger of the two teams this season, and with the home advantage they should be able to get the victory.
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Bolton vs. Barnsley (Saturday, 2.00pm)
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League One rivals Bolton Wanderers and Barnsley will lock horns at the University of Bolton Stadium on Saturday afternoon, with a spot in the second round of the FA Cup on offer to both sides.
The home side have won the FA Cup on four previous occasions, while Barnsley lifted the trophy back in 1911-12 after being finalists for the first time in 1909-10.
We say: Bolton Wanderers 2-1 Barnsley
There is not an awful lot between these two sides in terms of quality, and we are expecting a close match on Saturday afternoon. Barnsley certainly have the quality to triumph, but we just a have a feeling that Bolton will progress to the second round of the competition courtesy of a narrow success.
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Newport vs. Colchester (Saturday, 3.00pm)
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Newport County host fellow League Two strugglers Colchester United at Rodney Parade in the FA Cup first round on Saturday afternoon.
The hosts sit 18th in the fourth tier whilst the visitors are rock-bottom, five points behind the Exiles.
We say: Newport County 1-0 Colchester United
The hosts' recent performances in the FA Cup and the fact that they remain unbeaten under new manager Graham Coughlan mean that they should have the edge over the visitors.
Taking Colchester's poor away form in the competition over the past few years and the fact that they have failed to win in their last five matches in all competitions this season, it is hard to argue the case for the away team.
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MK Dons vs. Taunton Town (Saturday, 3.00pm)
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National League South occupants Taunton Town will hope to be on the correct end of an FA Cup giant killing when they tackle League One side MK Dons at Stadium MK for Saturday's first-round clash.
The visitors are plying their trade in the first round for only the third time in their history, while Liam Manning's men enter the competition aiming to push their league woes aside after a challenging start to the campaign.
We say: MK Dons 3-0 Taunton Town
In spite of MK Dons' underwhelming form at home, a lack of ruthlessness on the road is set to be Taunton's downfall against higher-level opposition this weekend.
Dray's men ought to enjoy the moment at Stadium MK, but the visitors will surely be consigned to a first-round exit as the Dons pick up a morale-boosting win and ticket to round two.
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Crawley vs. Accrington (Saturday, 3.00pm)
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League Two outfit Crawley Town will welcome League One side Accrington Stanley to West Sussex on Saturday afternoon in the first round of the FA Cup.
Crawley will enter the contest off the back of a 1-1 draw with Bradford City in the league last weekend, while Accrington also played out a 1-1 draw with Lincoln City in their last fixture on Tuesday night.
We say: Crawley Town 0-1 Accrington Stanley
We are not expecting this to be a particularly open and entertaining match, with perhaps just the one goal deciding the contest. Crawley are in strong form at the moment, but Accrington will arguably be able to send the better side onto the field, and we fancy the visitors to win this one.
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Solihull vs. Hartlepool (Saturday, 3.00pm)
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League Two strugglers Hartlepool United will be bidding to book their spot in the second round of the FA Cup when they take on National League side Solihull Moors on Saturday afternoon.
The visitors are currently 23rd in the League Two table, boasting just 12 points from their opening 17 matches, while Solihull are fourth in the National League table, having collected 30 points from their first 17 games.
We say: Solihull Moors 2-1 Hartlepool United
Solihull's recent form has been impressive, but the same cannot be said for Hartlepool, who have had a difficult start to the season. We are expecting a close match on Saturday afternoon but believe that the home side will progress to the second round of the competition courtesy of a narrow success.
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Peterborough vs. Salford City (Saturday, 3.00pm)
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Peterborough United take on Salford City at the Weston Holmes Stadium in the first round of the FA Cup on Saturday.
It is a first competitive meeting between the two clubs, with the home side in League One, and the visitors in their highest ever division, League Two.
We say: Peterborough United 2-0 Salford City
Peterborough are on a good run of form, and they should win this one fairly comfortably. The visitors are one of League Two's better sides, but they cannot compete with the type of quality possessed by a team that is pushing for promotion to the Championship.
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Sutton vs. Farnborough Town (Saturday, 3.00pm)
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Sutton United welcome Farnborough Town to the VBS Community Stadium in the FA Cup first round on Saturday.
It is the first competitive meeting between the two sides since 2015, when they met in the National League South, a game in which Sutton ran out 2-0 winners.
We say: Sutton United 3-0 Farnborough Town
Sutton have not been at the races in recent times, but there is still a big gulf in quality between the two sides. This game serves as a perfect opportunity for the U's to get their season back on track, and we think that they will win comfortably.
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Grimsby Town vs. Plymouth (Saturday, 3.00pm)
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Grimsby Town welcome Plymouth Argyle to Blundell Park in the first round of the FA Cup on Saturday.
The two teams have not met in a competitive game since 2020, with the home side now in League 2, while the visitors are pushing for promotion from League One.
We say: Grimsby Town 0-2 Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle are in red-hot form, and they should be able to sail through to the second round. Grimsby Town have not won in three games, and we cannot see this run ending against the team that are top of the division above.
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Carlisle vs. Tranmere (Saturday, 3.00pm)
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In the second meeting between the clubs in the space of a week, Carlisle United host Tranmere Rovers at Brunton Park in the first round of the FA Cup.
Both sides have a good history in progressing from this stage of the competition, with the home side reaching the second round in 13 of their last 14 campaigns, while the away side have advanced in seven of their last eight.
We say: Carlisle United 2-0 Tranmere Rovers
Carlisle cruised to victory at Prenton Park last week, and they should have no trouble doing the same again on home turf. We expect the Blues to repeat the scoreline from last week and book their place in the next round.
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Shrewsbury vs. York City (Saturday, 3.00pm)
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Shrewsbury Town host York City in the first round of the FA Cup this weekend, as the Shrews seek to embark on another exciting cup run this season.
Meanwhile, the visitors are without a win in their four previous league outings and were eliminated from the FA Cup at this stage last year by Buxton.
We say: Shrewsbury Town 2-0 York City
This game brings two teams in similar form against each other, and as the cliche goes, anything can happen in the cup.
Both sides have struggled in front of goal this season, however, we think Shrewsbury's League One quality will shine through here.
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Charlton vs. Coalville Town (Saturday, 3.00pm)
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Charlton Athletic commence their FA Cup campaign against Coalville Town on Saturday at The Valley.
The hosts come into this clash fresh off the back of two thrilling encounters against Ipswich Town and Brighton & Hove Albion's Under-21s, while the visitors have won three of their last four outings in all competitions.
We say: Charlton Athletic 3-0 Coalville Town
Coalville have done remarkably well to get to this stage but we think this tie will be a bridge too far for them.
The Valley has become somewhat of a fortress for Charlton too - they have only lost once at home so far this season.
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Weymouth vs. AFC Wimbledon (Saturday, 3.00pm)
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Weymouth welcome AFC Wimbledon to the Bob Lucas Stadium on Saturday, in the first round of the FA Cup.
The home side have reached the opening round for the first time in 15 years, while Wimbledon made the third round last season, before losing to Boreham Wood.
We say: Weymouth 0-3 AFC Wimbledon
It is hard to see anything other than AFC Wimbledon storming to victory here, considering Weymouth's form and the gap between the sides in the English football pyramid.
Weymouth will be eager to cause an early FA Cup upset, but we struggle to see them having much joy against Jackson's side.
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Stockport vs. Swindon (Saturday, 3.00pm)
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Stockport County host Swindon Town in the opening round of the FA Cup this weekend, hoping to extend their unbeaten run of five games.
Swindon, meanwhile, enjoyed an emphatic victory over Mansfield Town last time out, and currently sit in the playoff places in League Two, two points adrift of the automatic promotion spots.
We say: Stockport County 2-1 Swindon Town
Both sides are in great form so we are expecting a tightly-contested affair at Edgeley Park.
Stockport have been impressive defensively in recent weeks, and we think that could be the difference here.
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Doncaster vs. King's Lynn (Saturday, 3.00pm)
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The first round of the FA Cup will commence on Saturday as Doncaster Rovers welcome King's Lynn Town to the Eco-Power Stadium.
The hosts have only won once in their previous seven games in all competitions, while the visitors have already been thriving in the FA Cup this season.
We say: Doncaster Rovers 2-1 King's Lynn Town
King's Lynn Town have showcased real attacking qualities throughout this season in all competitions, and that is something that should lead to them providing a threat here.
However, Doncaster Rovers should ultimately just have enough quality in the squad to push through and earn a place in the next round.
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Fleetwood vs. Oxford City (Saturday, 3.00pm)
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Semi-professional outfit Oxford City will look to continue their FA Cup journey this Saturday when they make the trip to face Fleetwood Town.
The League One club are just entering the competition this weekend, and they are undefeated in their previous three matches in all competitions.
We say: Fleetwood Town 2-0 Oxford City
Oxford City will fancy their chances of causing an upset against a side three divisions above them, but Fleetwood will be regarded as firm favourites for this contest in front of their own fans and they should have few problems in securing a routine victory.
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Burton Albion vs. Needham Market (Saturday, 3.00pm)
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After consecutive defeats in the league, Burton Albion will be hoping to get their season back on track this Saturday in the FA Cup when they host Needham Market.
The non-league side have been impressive in the competition so far, but they head into the game after two draws in a row.
We say: Burton Albion 3-0 Needham Market
The FA Cup is a competition known for its cup upsets, and underdogs often thrive in these games, which will give the visitors some hope.
However, even though Needham Market have been defensively resilient, it is Burton Albion who are the strong favourites to progress here.
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Port Vale vs. Exeter (Saturday, 3.00pm)
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After making it to the third round of the FA Cup last season before being beaten by Premier League side Brentford, Port Vale will be hoping for a similar level of success as they begin their campaign against Exeter City at Vale Park on Saturday.
Gary Caldwell will be hoping to find his first victory in charge of Exeter after his recent appointment and will certainly be hopeful of a less chaotic first-round tie compared to the one Exeter had last season.
We say: Port Vale 2-1 Exeter City
Although the previous meeting between the two sides ended in a dominant victory for Exeter, a lot has changed since then and with Port Vale in better form, they should progress to the next round.
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Bristol Rovers vs. Rochdale (Saturday, 3.00pm)
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Bristol Rovers got through to the third round of the FA Cup last season before being knocked out by Peterborough United, so they will be hoping for just as much success as they host Rochdale at Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
The Dale also made it past this stage last season but were knocked out in their second-round tie against Plymouth Argyle, and as they are struggling in the league this season, the cup may provide an opportunity to find some momentum.
We say: Bristol Rovers 3-1 Rochdale
The League One side should have enough quality to beat Rochdale, especially if Aaron Collins starts the game. Rochdale will be hoping they can keep things tight and cause an upset in this fixture, but we expect them to fall short.
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Wycombe vs. Walsall (Saturday, 3.00pm)
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Wycombe Wanderers will look to end a three-game winless run when they face Walsall in the first round of the FA Cup on Saturday.
The visitors, meanwhile, will be aiming to record a third consecutive victory in all competitions after beating Harrogate Town and Rochdale in their previous two games.
We say: Wycombe Wanderers 2-1 Walsall
Although Wycombe are winless in their last three matches, we think that they will edge out a Walsall side that are winless in their previous eight away games.
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Crewe vs. Leyton Orient (Saturday, 3.00pm)
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The opening round of the 2022-23 FA Cup begins on Saturday for Crewe Alexandra as they host the League Two leaders Leyton Orient at Gresty Road.
The Railwaymen have not won a home fixture at this competition since 2019-20, dropping their opening match last season 3-0 to Swindon Town, while Orient advanced to the third round of this tournament in 2021-22.
We say: Crewe Alexandra 0-1 Leyton Orient
It is hard to imagine a side who struggle so much in the final third, like Crewe, find a way past a defensive unit as well-organised and compact as Leyton have been in 2022-23.
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Chesterfield vs. Northampton (Saturday, 3.00pm)
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National League outfit Chesterfield will play host to League Two high-flyers Northampton Town in an FA Cup first-round tie on Saturday.
The visitors currently occupy third spot in England's fourth tier after consecutive draws, while their opponents hold the same position in the division below and will aim to pull off something of an upset.
We say: Chesterfield 1-3 Northampton Town
Saturday's game should certainly not be straightforward for the visitors, who come up against a side knocking on the door of League Two, but if Jon Brady deploys a full-strength Northampton side, they should have enough to come out of the contest with a victory and a place in the second round booked.
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Cheltenham vs. Alvechurch (Saturday, 3.00pm)
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Cheltenham Town begin their FA Cup campaign with a first-round tie against non-league outfit Alvechurch on Saturday afternoon.
At a time when Cheltenham sit in 19th position in League One, Alvechurch are in the same place in the Southern League Premier Central.
We say: Cheltenham Town 4-0 Alvechurch
On a rare appearance at this stage of the competition, Alvechurch will want to enjoy the day as well as attempting to cause a monumental upset. However, we can only predict a one-sided game with the home side running out comfortable victors.
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Barrow vs. Mansfield (Saturday, 3.00pm)
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Barrow and Mansfield Town get their 2022-23 FA Cup campaign underway when they go head to head at the Holker Street Stadium on Saturday.
The home side head into the weekend on a run of three victories on the bounce, while the Stags will be looking to end their three-game winless run.
We say: Barrow 3-1 Mansfield Town
While Mansfield Town will be looking to arrest their slump and kick off their cup campaign on a high, they face a Barrow side who have hit their stride in recent weeks. The hosts have won four of their last five matches and we are backing them to come out victorious once again.
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Chippenham vs. Lincoln (Saturday, 3.00pm)
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National League South side Chippenham Town will seek a historic place in the second round of the FA Cup when Lincoln City visit Hardenhuish Park for the first round on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the third-tier visitors head into this year's tournament aiming to match or better their sensational run to the quarter-finals in 2016-17.
We say: Chippenham Town 0-3 Lincoln City
Chippenham Town's defensive nous on their own patch must come into play if they are to do what Lincoln City did to sides above them six years ago, but we do not envisage any shocks occurring here.
The Imps have fared well on the road this term, and even though a few alterations can be expected, Kennedy's side ought to seal their place in the second round.
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Gateshead vs. Stevenage (Saturday, 3.00pm)
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High-flying League Two outfit Stevenage will be bidding to book their spot in the second round of the FA Cup when they travel to National League strugglers Gateshead on Saturday afternoon.
The visitors are currently second in League Two, three points behind leaders Leyton Orient, while Gateshead occupy 23rd position in the National League, picking up just 13 points from the first 17 games.
We say: Gateshead 0-2 Stevenage
Stevenage head coach Evans is set to make a number of changes to his starting XI for this match, but we are still expecting the visitors to be too strong, backing them to advance to the second round of the competition courtesy of a 2-0 victory.
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Fylde vs. Gillingham (Saturday, 3.00pm)
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National League side Fylde and League Two outfit Gillingham kick off their 2022-23 FA Cup campaigns with a meeting at the Mill Farm on Saturday.
The home side got the better of Kidderminster in their final qualifying tie, while the visitors were handed a free pass into the opening round of matches.
We say: Fylde 1-0 Gillingham
Fylde have proven to be a tough nut to crack on their own patch of late, while Gillingham have struggled massively on the road recently. We expect a close game here nonetheless with the home side just about coming out on top at the end of the 90 minutes.
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Barney Corkhill
