Preview: Wimborne Town vs Crawley Town - prediction, team news, lineups

Aiming to cause an almighty upset in the first round of this season's FA Cup, Wimborne Town welcome League Two outfit Crawley Town to Wyatt Homes Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The Magpies have navigated a couple of qualification hurdles to reach this famous stage of the competition, whereas the Red Devils have spent recent times struggling in the fourth tier.

Match preview

Competing in the Southern League Premier Division, Wimborne Town are currently sat in the seventh tier of the English football pyramid, meaning that it is a great achievement to even reach the FA Cup first round.

The Magpies have battled through four rounds of qualifying to book a tie with League Two side Crawley this weekend, beating Portishead Town, Weston-Super-Mare, Moneyfields and Chelmsford City.

Wimborne come into this winner-takes-all clash in good form, unbeaten in five matches (W4 D1) across all competitions, enjoying a 2-0 home success over Chippenham Town last weekend.

Bagging a brace in the Wyatt Homes success last time out, Joe Smith leads the Magpies' Golden Boot race with five seventh-tier strikes, also scoring in the 3-0 home triumph over Gosport Borough on October 20.

Bidding to reach the National League South, Wimborne are currently occupying ninth spot in the Southern Premier Division standings, just three points behind Chichester City in the lowest of the playoff spots.

Crawley Town will be looking for back-to-back wins for the first time since early April this weekend after winning 1-0 at Oldham Athletic on Halloween, ending a nine-game winless run (D3 L6) in the fourth tier.

The Red Devils were helped massively by their hosts receiving two red cards within the opening 30 minutes at Boundary Park, where a Danilo Orsi strike proved enough to defeat nine men.

Despite picking up their maiden league success since August last weekend, Crawley are still rooted to the very bottom of the League Two standings, three points behind the safety of Rotherham United in 22nd spot.

For all of their league struggles, the Red Devils enjoyed a marvellous result in their most recent cup match, putting four goals past League One Bromley without reply in the EFL Trophy on October 6.

Although Crawley will wear their favourites tags with pride this weekend, they are also fully aware that shock results can occur, with Scott Lindsey's Red Devils losing in the first round of the FA Cup at National League Boreham Wood last season.

Wimborne Town FA Cup form:

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Wimborne Town form (all competitions):

Crawley Town form (all competitions):

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Team News

© Imago

Netting the winning goal in the tie with Chelmsford, Antonio Diaz will be looking to impress for Wimborne against EFL opposition this weekend.

Max Bustamante is also a dangerous attacking option for the Magpies, who will need to take advantage of their rare offensive moments on Saturday.

Bringing experience to a potential slip-up situation, Vito Mannone should start in goal for Crawley at Wyatt Homes.

After keeping a clean sheet at Oldham last time out, Jonny Russell and Priestley Farquharson should remain as the centre-back pairing.

Looking to captain the side through a difficult away trip, Jude Arthurs is set to start in the heart of midfield.

Wimborne Town possible starting lineup:

Plain; Walker, Roberts, Wright; Sullivan, Yang, Wooding, Roundell, Munn; Smith, Diaz

Crawley Town possible starting lineup:

Mannone; Gordon, Farquharson, Russell, Richards; Barker, Arthurs; Duke-McKenna, Aderoju, Morgan; Orsi

We say: Wimborne Town 1-3 Crawley Town

Currently on a winning run at Wyatt Homes Stadium, Wimborne will be confident of producing a respectable display this weekend.

However, Crawley possess the EFL quality and should have enough power to book a spot in the second round.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.