Micah Richards gave Villa the lead in the first half, but Wycombe struck back with a Joe Jacobson’s penalty five minutes into the second period and neither side were able to take the victory over the course of the rest of the game.
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An injury-hit, inconsistent and potentially jaded Premier League heavyweight making a 500-mile (800-kilometer) round trip to a team in the lower reaches of the fourth tier with a small ground, poor field and a recent history of shocking a top side. It would pile on the misery for Neil Lennon’s side should they lose this, and that is a very real possibility given that Eastleigh have emerged from nowhere to become one of the strongest teams outside the Football League over the past season and-a-half, with many of their squad having played at a higher level.
Awaiting them in stage two will be 12 teams from the Super League and 12 teams from Premier League.
As Wycombe’s fans made their way around the steep hills and into the stadium, there was an anticipation that made this day the epitome of what still makes the FA Cup special.
The Chairboys face a replay at Villa Park in order to earn a potential place in the fourth round, which is scheduled to take place on January 30 – the same date that Argyle are due to welcome Gareth Ainsworth’s men to Home Park.
The 2,500 Villa fans who made the short journey down the M40 seem resigned to relegation this season as they are cut off at the bottom of the Premier League – but they retain some dark humour. “Unfortunately we got them at home, but to go to their place now is going to be great for everyone involved”. “They are defending with 10, 11 players behind the ball”. Villa is a club in freefall.
A number of managers will be making their FA Cup debuts this weekend, including Remi Garde of Aston Villa and Quique Sánchez Flores of Watford.
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It appears they have decided it is better to laugh than cry at their plight.
