Pitching In Southern League Premier Division South club Hayes & Yeading United head into their Emirates FA Cup First Round tie with League Two new boys Sutton United on Saturday holding a better record in their previous encounters!
However, although Sutton have only beaten Hayes & Yeading once in five meetings – a 3-1 away win in December 2015 – quite a lot has happened to the two teams since then.
Hayes & Yeading were relegated from the National League South that 2015/16 season, whilst the U`s were promoted to the National League as champions.
Hayes & Yeading then fell straight through the Southern Premier Division trap door the following campaign before clawing their way back via the Southern Division One East and then the Isthmian League South Central, which they won in emphatic fashion in 2018/19 before being switched back to the Southern League by the FA for the next season.
After winning promotion back to the top of the non-League Pyramid in 2016, Sutton had a fantastic campaign in the FA Cup the following 2016/17 season when they famously reached the Fifth Round after beating AFC Wimbledon and Leeds United along the way before valiantly losing 2-0 to Premier League giants Arsenal at Gander Green Lane.
Then, of course, they enjoyed a great 2020/21 season which culminated in winning promotion to the Football League for the first time, although, like Harrogate Town the season before, they had to rip up their 3G pitch in order to take their place in the 92.
Hayes & Yeading, only formed in 2007 as a merger of Hayes FC and Yeading FC, have reached the First Round on three previous occasions but have never gone beyond this stage.
In 2010/11 they were beaten 2-1 at home by Wycombe Wanderers, in 2019/20 they were also drawn at home, but suffered a 2-0 defeat by Oxford United and then last season, when there were no replays due to the pandemic, Paul Hughes` side went out on penalties at home to League Two side Carlisle United after a 2-2 draw.
Hayes & Yeading, unbeaten in the league to date, had a tough First Qualifying Round draw against Isthmian Premier Division side Bognor Regis Town which they edged by the odd goal in seven, thanks to a Moses Emmanuel brace.
That set them up for another home tie but against National League South outfit Tonbridge Angels.
But the hosts caused an `upset` by hammering Angels 5-0 with five different scorers on target.
Amos Nasha bagged a brace in their next test which was again at home, this time against a team from a league lower in Isthmian South East side Whitehawk, who gave them a tough match before going down 3-2.
The Fourth Qualifying Round paired Hayes & Yeading away for the first time and against National League South opposition for the second time in Dorking Wanderers.
A 2-2 draw at Meadowbank earned a replay at the SKYex Community Stadium which also finished 2-2, with Hughes` me keeping their nerve to win the penalty shoot-out 4-3.
This, of course, will be Sutton’s first FA Cup tie as a Football League side.
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