The new Football League campaign has not yet started but League Two new boys Crawley Town and AFC Wimbledon have been called back early on Friday evening to scrap it out for a place in the first round of the Carling Cup.
The preliminary round has been hastily arranged in order to allow Carling Cup holders and newly-relegated Championship side Birmingham to start in the third round because of their Europa League commitments.
The Conference Premier champions Crawley have been handed home advantage at Broadfield Road and they will fancy their chances of progression into a tasty clash with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on August 8 in the first round proper should they go through.
However, AFC Wimbledon – a club spawned from the 1988 FA Cup winners after they upped sticks and moved to Milton Keynes – will want to mark their first ever match as a Football League club with a win (7/2 Away Win 90 Minutes) some 34 years after the original side entered the league.
Wimbledon entered the league via a play-off win against Luton Town, while Crawley were a Football League side in waiting last term as they romped to the title.
Boss Steve Evans is boosted by the fact that, with the exception of skipper Pablo Mills, who recently underwent an operation on his ankle, and Jamie Day, who is still recovering from injury, Crawley have a full strength squad to pick from for the tie.
Six players could make their debuts and Evans is looking for his men to send out a strong message to their League Two rivals through this match.
Crawley go into the match on the back of a good run from the end of last season with four wins and two draws in their last six while they defeated AFC Wimbledon 3-1 (12/1 Correct Score) in the Conference game at the same venue last term.
AFC Wimbledon have problems in the treatment room as new captain Jamie Stuart and midfielder Lee Minshull are struggling with respective back and dead leg problems, while defender Mat Mitchel-King is out with glandular fever and fellow new signings Gareth Gwillim and Charles Ademeno are doubts with respective shoulder and heel injuries.
They also go into the clash against their rivals in good form with a record of four wins and two draws from their last six games.
However, with a slightly stronger side and home advantage afforded to Crawley Town it is difficult to see any other outcome than a victory for the Reds.
Prediction: Crawley To Win 90 Minutes @ 8/13
Value bet: Crawley To Win 2-1 Correct Score @ 7/1
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