- Team form: AFC Hornchurch have won three of their last four home matches in all competitions.
- Defensive record: AFC Hornchurch have conceded just three goals in their last four matches at Hornchurch Stadium.
- Away form: Blackpool are without a win in four away from home in all competitions (L4), conceding 2.25 goals per game on average.
Classic style contrast set for Cup night
Tactical battle:
This should be a classic FA Cup game as AFC Hornchurch's physical, direct style meets the more sophisticated, ball-dominant approach of Blackpool FC. Daryl McMahon has set his Urchins up in a compact 4-2-3-1 formation which is set up to play on the break and win second balls. Ian Evatt's Seasiders will be looking to dominate the ball and build from their back three, through the wings and wing-backs, and press in numbers to disrupt the play when they don't have the ball.
Scoreline expectation:
It should be an exciting game and there's a good chance that the 1.55 on over 2.5 goals will land here.
Home form:
The hosts are on a three-match losing streak and have lost to Hartlepool United, Yeovil Town and AFC Fylde, so it's hard to get too excited about them. However, they've won three of their last four at home, and they've only lost once in that time, so they won't be completely overrun at the Hornchurch Stadium.
Spoilers are on the up
This is an unusual appearance in the First Round of the FA Cup for AFC Hornchurch and they're likely to treat this match as a true giant-killing opportunity. It's also likely to be a more competitive match than the market suggests.
This feels a lot closer than the bookies think.
- Blackpool are an obvious favorite at 1.78, but the Urchins at 3.89 and the draw at 3.9 still look a few hundred places too high.
- Blackpool have won two and lost one of their last three, beating Milton Keynes Dons (2-1) and Aston Villa U21 (2-0), but they were also thrashed 1-4 at home by Mansfield Town.
- Their away form is particularly poor with no wins and two defeats in their last two games, and they've conceded 2.25 goals per-game in their last four on the road.
- AFC Hornchurch, meanwhile, have won four and lost six of their last ten in all competitions.
