Non-League versus Premier League. This is what the FA Cup Third Round is all about, a tie pulled from the magicians hat of the draw. For anyone looking for the biggest of upsets Woking's Kingfield Stadium was the destination at the weekend as National League South, Woking, of the sixth tier of English football hosted top flight Watford.
Going from the streets to the seats via the changing rooms, tunnel and pitch we went behind the scenes to join the world's media in hope for that most glorious of footballing experiences; an FA Cup Third Round upset. With Woking flying high in their own league and Watford just about a realistic scalp for the most optimistic Woking fan, this was a tie that typified this prestigious competition, filling the atmosphere with a sense of nerves, excitement and unpredictability.
Just one set piece, one mistimed tackle, one late corner. The FA Cup injects optimism, it makes you dream, it makes fa superior players wobble, and for Watford that was the case for well over an hour of the game until Troy Deeney finally doubled the Hornets' lead to book a fourth round slot thanks to a 2-0 win over the battling hosts. Tin foil cups, sold out terraces, obscure and makeshift vantage points, millionaire players sat on wooden benches. The real winner was the FA Cup, as it is on every occasion like this.
Photography by Orlando Gili for SoccerBible. Check out his "Que Sera, Sera" book for more FA Cup gold.
