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FA Cup round one preview: Met Police to face League Two Newport

 during The Emirates FA Cup Final between Chelsea and Manchester United at Wembley Stadium on May 19, 2018 in London, England.

Metropolitan Police manager Gavin Macpherson believes reaching a historic FA Cup second round could open a "whole new world of possibilities" for the club.

Met Police have defeated Cray Wanderers, Needham Market, Tiverton and National League outfit Havant and Waterlooville on their way to earning a first-round home tie against League Two side Newport on Saturday.

It is the fifth time that the seventh-tier side have reached the first round of the competition in their 99-year history, and Macpherson understands the magnitude of the occasion at Imber Court this weekend.

"It's a hive of activity. It is very different to a normal week," he told Press Association. "The enormity of the task is not lost on me or anyone at the club.

"There is an optimism, we have done very well in this year's competition but it is an enormous task, one we are not expected to pull off but we will try and give ourselves the best chance. We want to make history.

"The motivation is to go through because it will open up a whole new world of possibilities on and off the pitch. I look at what it could do for this football club. Thinking financially and for the players, it really is a game-changer."

The Met have never progressed to the second round and have not had a serving police officer in the squad for over six years but, due to their name, have had to deal with fans and players looking to get one over on 'the filth'.

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Macpherson will have cup-tied players and injury knocks to contend with heading into one of the club's biggest matches in their history.

When asked if any of his squad will miss out due to work commitments, Macpherson said: "Well if they are then they haven't told me! We have got a lot of academy lads, there are electricians and estate agents. Our centre-forward has been one of the stadium managers for the Tottenham project and he has recently moved off to the Battersea Power Station.

"He would have preferred to stay at Tottenham because they are about six months behind I think. He has got quite an interesting job."

Portsmouth, winners of the competition in 2008, travel to National League Maidenhead in Saturday's early kick-off, while Hitchin Town host Solihull Moors.

Sutton take on Slough Town, Swindon host former Football League side York and Chorley face League One Doncaster in the pick of the first-round ties.

Full FA Cup first-round draw

Friday, November 9

Haringey Borough vs AFC Wimbledon (7.55pm)

Saturday, November 10 (3pm kick-off unless stated)

Maidenhead vs Portsmouth (12.30pm)

Accrington Stanley vs Colchester United

Aldershot Town vs Bradford City

Barnsley vs Notts County

Bromley vs Peterborough United

Bury vs Dover Athletic

Chesterfield vs Billericay Town

Crewe Alexandra vs Carlisle United

Ebbsfleet United vs Cheltenham Town

Exeter City vs Blackpool

Gillingham vs Hartlepool

Grimsby Town vs MK Dons

Lincoln City vs Northampton Town

Luton Town vs Wycombe Wanderers

Maidstone United vs Macclesfield Town

Metropolitan Police vs Newport County

Morecambe vs Halifax

Oxford United vs Forest Green Rovers

Plymouth Argyle vs Stevenage

Rochdale vs Gateshead

Scunthorpe United vs Burton Albion

Southend United vs Crawley Town

Southport vs Boreham Wood

Sutton United vs Slough Town

Swindon Town vs York City

Torquay United vs Woking

Tranmere Rovers vs Oxford City

Walsall vs Coventry City

Yeovil Town vs Stockport County

Sunday, November 11 (12.45pm kick-off unless stated)

Alfreton Town vs Fleetwood Town

Barnet vs Bristol Rovers

Chorley vs Doncaster Rovers

Guiseley vs Cambridge United

Hitchin Town vs Solihull Moors

Mansfield Town vs Charlton Athletic

Shrewsbury vs Salford City

West-Super-Mare vs Wrexham

Port Vale vs Sunderland (2.30pm)

Monday, November 12

Hampton & Richmond Borough vs Oldham Athletic (7.45pm)

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