FA Cup 2012/13: Devon Derby to be the Highlight of the 1st Qualifying Round
Saturday (8th September) sees us move to a 3rd round of the FA Cup. This round known as the 1st Qualifying round. All the teams below Conference South/North will have now been involved. £3000 is the prize on offer to the winners of this round. 116 games will be played.
2 games involving Devon sides:-
Plymouth Parkway VS Buckland Athletic
Bideford AFC VS Bodmin Town
The highlight being Plymouth Parkway at home to Buckland Athletic, guaranteeing at least one Devon club in the 2nd qualifying round. Both these teams started in the extra preliminary rounds. Buckland beat Bridport 2-1, and Parkway beat Welton Rovers 3-1. In the preliminary round Parkway won 4-1 at Chard Town, and Buckland despatched Hengrove Athletic 5-0. Buckland go in 
to the game on the back of beating Cullompton Rover 3-0 during the week to progress in the St Luke’s Bowl. Buckland play in the Toolstation Western League Premier Division, and are 9th having won 2 games and drawn 1. Parkway play in the Premier Division of the South West Peninsula Football League.
Bideford, “The Robins”, play in the Evo-Stick Southern Premier Division. This is the first game in the FA Cup this season. They’re not having a good season after being promoted. They lie 2nd from bottom with 4 points, ahead of Kettering Town who have had 10 points deducted for being in administration. Bodmin Town play in the same division as Plymouth Parkway, Premier Division of the 
South West Peninsula Football League.
Just out of interest. The referee’s fee is £40, and the assistants will get £20 each.
With ESPN having covered the previous 2 rounds, it was with interest we looked to see who they televised for this round. However, with Wembley FC having been knocked out, they have lost interest, as has apparently the Cup sponsors Budweiser. How very cynical of them and embarrassing for the FA, who had appeared to have got to far in bed with both the American drinks company and Wembley FC.
Draw for the 2nd qualifying round is on Monday. This round will see the Blue Square South and North teams join in.