The FA Cup first round kicks off on Friday night as AFC Sudbury welcome Colchester. Tom Carnduff picks out a best bet.
Football betting tips: FA Cup
1pt AFC Sudbury/Draw on double chance at 12/5 (General)
A great TV selection to kick off the first round proper of the 2021/22 FA Cup as AFC Sudbury host Sky Bet EFL side Colchester. The hosts will be one of many aiming to cause an upset this weekend.
This game being on BBC Two will bring in around £50,000 for the home side and another £22,500 or so on offer for the winner.
There is significant distance between the two sides in the football pyramid - that does not mean we should have complete faith in an away victory though.
We can expect that all of the tickets available for the contest at the MEL Group Stadium will be snapped up prior to kick-off and there is every chance they will witness an upset on Friday night.
This stage hasn't been kind to Colchester in recent years.
Sudbury's season has been a decent one - not only in the FA Cup but in the league as well. They sit fourth in the Isthmian League Division One North table but winning their games in-hand would move them up a few places - all three enough to take them above Canvey Island at the top.
They also possess a +5 goal difference from five home outings and their defence on the whole is excellent compared with their divisional rivals.
Granted they have played fewer games than others but their six goals against is the lowest in the league - they are one of only two teams still in single figures.
With 12/5 on offer with a few bookmakers, there is appeal in taking AFC SUDBURY OR DRAW ON THE DOUBLE CHANCE. A 3-1 victory over National League South club Dartford in the last round shows they can get something against teams in a higher division.
There is also Colchester's recent history at this point of the competition. Last season saw them beaten at this stage by Marine of the Northern Premier League - one step below Sudbury in the pyramid.
They lost in the first round to Coventry in 2019/20, Accrington Stanley in 2018/19, Oxford City in 2017/18 and Chesterfield in 2016/17.
Different managers and players of course, but it's clearly been an issue for the club and the artificial pitch of the MEL Group Stadium could provide more problems.
Colchester have hardly been prolific scorers in Sky Bet League Two either with 12 goals coming from 15 outings so far, a major reason for why they're currently down in 17th.
They've only managed one goal across two EFL Trophy games while also exiting the Carabao Cup in the first round with a 1-0 defeat to Birmingham.
With restricted markets as expected in this contest, the play on the double chance in the home side's favour is the best bet.
AFC Sudbury v Colchester best bets and score prediction
- 1pt AFC Sudbury/Draw on double chance at 12/5 (General)
Score prediction: AFC Sudbury 1-1 Colchester (Sky Bet odds: 9/1)
Odds correct at 0850 GMT (04/11/21)
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