For anybody who hasn't read this blog before the idea was that I would pick a team from the extra pre-lim round of the FA Cup and follow them as far as they went. Being a glory hunt though when the team I was following was beaten I would then follow their victors until they were beaten and so on and so on, until finally I would be supporting the winner of the FA Cup on the 30th May.
My journey started on the 15th August as I cheered on Morpeth Town who lost in the first extra pre-lim round to Dunston UTS. I followed Dunston until their exit to Spennymoor Town. Spennymoor were my team until they succumbed to AFC Telford United and now I am a fan of Bristol City after they defeated the Bucks in the second round.
So here we are in the 4th round and the Robins are taking on in form Premier League side West Ham.
The Hammers come into this game off the back of a fine second half performance against Hull City with a 3-0 win.
Bristol City are also in fine form after a 2-0 away win against Scunthorpe which sees them second in league one only behind Swindon Town on goal difference.
It took penalties for West Ham to beat fellow premier league side Everton in the last round, The Robins have a Jay Emmanuel Thomas' strikes to thank for their progress to the 4th round after a replay against Doncaster Rovers.
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| Two goal Jay Emmanuel Thomas looking to add to his FA Cup tally. |
It's going to be a tough game for the Robins playing against a team from the Premier league but in the form that City are in it could be a very close game. The best chance for the Ashton Gate side to progress will be with their home advantage, if the game finishes as a draw then it will be an even tougher task on a Tuesday or Wednesday night under the floodlights at Upton Park. If the Robins are going to pull off an upset its going to have to be in my opinion at home on Sunday afternoon in the live game on the BBC. The BBC can obviously smell an upset as they have made it their featured game.
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| What's that smell Gary? Is it an upset in the FA Cup. |
Bristol City's main hopes again sit firmly on the shoulders of their strikers. For the Robins to progress they will need on loan Fulham striker Matt Smith and last round hero Jay Emmanuel Thomas to be firing on all cylinders.
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| On loan striker Matt Smith is looking to silence the Hammers. |
West Ham are playing some nice football this season and they have threats from all over the pitch. Obviously I have no idea what formation or which players Big Sam will go with on Sunday afternoon but with the players at his disposal the team is going to be packed toi the rafters with quality. After last Sundays game against Hull the first half was quite slow but Allardyce changed it up in the second bringing on Morgan Amalifitano into midfield and pushing Stewart Downing into the hole behind the strikers. This ultimately made the difference and I wouldn't be surprised if he set up like that for this game. Chances are that the Irons will start with Andy Carroll and Ener Valencia up front.
Alex Song if fit will be a constant thorn in City's side at the weekend with his tackling and distribution from midfield he is able to cause the very best problems. If he plays he will be the one to watch.
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| One to watch. Alex Song. |
As I have said it will take a monumental effort to topple the Hammers on Sunday but that is what the FA Cup is all about. There are always shocks and if the Robins come into this game full of confidence and the Irons are off their game you never know maybe Jay Emmanuel Thomas will have an even bigger smile on his face then he did in the last round.
The last time these two teams met at Ashton Gate was in a Championship match on 17/4/2012.
The game ended in a 1-1 draw. James Tomkins gave the Hammers the lead on 25 mins but the Robins equalised just 4 minutes later through Cole Skuse.
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| Cole Skuse scored last time these two teams met. |
Its going to be a massive game on Sunday
Come on City!!
Up the Robins!!
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