THE FIRST weekend in January means it is time for the commentators with cliches to come out and remind us of the magic of the cup.
Football commentary relies on the use of cliche generally but FA Cup Third Round day is a special occasion to which its usage applies particularly heavily.
It is, of course, a day where the Davids of the football world attempt to slay the Goliaths in acts of giant-killing, and a day where non-league players will have the biggest day of their lives.
Unfortunately, the draw was not kind to the television executives looking for big upsets or references to plumbers and painters, notwithstanding that most Blue Square Premier clubs are now full time.
Of the three remaining non league clubs, Forest Green play on Sunday and the two others - Barrow and York City - are away to Premier League clubs with shiny new stadia, Stoke City and Sunderland.
Indeed, with the postponements at Accrington and Brentford, there is hardly any chance of a commentator being able to wheel out descriptions of compact grounds and uneven pitches.
At least, the wintry weather means we may hear about blankets of snow being a great leveller in ties between teams from different divisions.
But a disappointing draw for the neutral has predictably led to ITV choosing three of the Premier League 'big four' for coverage.
There are arguments in favour of coverage for each of their choices, of course.
Liverpool's nightmare first half to the season means the Cup is now of utmost importance to them while Leeds United travel to Old Trafford for the first time since 2004.
The West Ham-Arsenal tie will evoke memories in older supporters of the 1980 Final when a replay of the rare Trevor Brooking header that won the Cup for the Hammers has become another Cup cliche in itself.
For Premier League strugglers Bolton Wanderers and Portsmouth, winners in 2008, home ties against Lincoln City and Coventry City could be the start of cup runs which serve as a nice distraction from the toils of a relegation battle.
But if any team placed in a critical position in the league fails, they will be able to concentrate on the league, which is, after all, the bread and butter.
Other top flight teams, such as Everton and Fulham, will be favourites to win at home with professional performances against Carlisle United and Swindon Town respectively.
There could be an upset in those ties, however, as the form book goes out of the window and there is every chance a lower league team manager could delight in 'getting them back to our place' for a replay.
At least a replay ensures a team gets in the hat for the next round and a step closer on the road to Wembley.
FA Cup Third Round ties
Television/internet games
Sat: Bristol City P-P Cardiff City (12.30pm, FA.com)
Sat: Reading 1-1 Liverpool (5.15pm, ITV)
Sun: Manchester United 0-1 Leeds United (1.15pm, ITV)
Sun: West Ham United 1-2 Arsenal (4.15pm, ITV)
Sun: Tranmere Rovers 0-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers (6.15pm, FA.com)
Other ties (Saturday, 3pm):
Accrington Stanley P-P Gillingham
Aston Villa 3-1 Blackburn Rovers
Blackpool 1-2 Ipswich Town
Bolton Wanderers 4-0 Lincoln City
Brentford P-P Doncaster Rovers
Everton 3-1 Carlisle United
Fulham 1-0 Swindon Town
Huddersfield Town 0-2 West Bromwich Albion
Leicester City 2-1 Swansea City
Middlesbrough 0-1 Manchester City
Millwall 1-1 Derby County
Milton Keynes Dons 1-2 Burnley
Nottingham Forest 0-0 Birmingham City
Plymouth Argyle 0-0 Newcastle United
Portsmouth 1-1 Coventry City
Preston North End 7-0 Colchester United
Scunthorpe United 1-0 Barnsley
Sheffield Wednesday 1-2 Crystal Palace
Southampton 1-0 Luton Town
Stoke City 3-1 York City
Sunderland 3-0 Barrow
Torquay United 0-1 Brighton & Hove Albion
Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 Peterborough United
Wigan Athletic 4-1 Hull City
Other ties (Sunday, 3pm):
Chelsea 5-0 Watford
Notts County P-P Forest Green Rovers
Sheffield United 1-1 Queens Park Rangers
Rearranged ties:
Accrington Stanley 1-0 Gillingham
Brentford 0-1 Doncaster Rovers
Bristol City 1-1 Cardiff City
Notts County 2-1 Forest Green Rovers
FA Cup Third Round replays
Birmingham City 1-0 Nottingham Forest
Coventry City 1-2 Portsmouth [aet] (7.45pm, ITV)
Derby County 1-1 Millwall [aet, 5-3 to Derby on penalties]
Queens Park Rangers 2-3 Sheffield United
Liverpool 1-2 Reading [aet] (8pm, ITV)
Newcastle United 3-0 Plymouth Argyle
Cardiff City 1-0 Bristol City
Revised FA Cup Fourth Round draw
Southampton v Ipswich Town
Reading v Burnley
Derby County v Doncaster Rovers
Cardiff City v Leicester City
Stoke City v Arsenal
Notts County v Wigan Athletic
Scunthorpe United v Manchester City
West Bromwich Albion v Newcastle United
Everton v Birmingham City
Accrington Stanley v Fulham
Bolton Wanderers v Sheffield United
Portsmouth v Sunderland
Preston North End v Chelsea
Aston Villa v Brighton & Hove Albion
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Crystal Palace
Tottenham Hotspur v Leeds United
*Ties played on 23/24 January 2010
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