The promised land of the third round of the FA Cup awaits the winners of this weekend's Fratton clash between Pompey and Accrington.

They're two teams doing well in League Two but this weekend dreaming of a place in Monday's draw, which of course will include 44 teams from the Premier League and Championship.

Pompey boss Paul Cook says the league table provides evidence Accrington - one of his former clubs - will provide a stiff test.

He told the Pompey website: 'We’re very much looking forward to the game and I think people now know how strong Accrington are. In my opinion, it’s one of the ties of the round because it’s two good footballing teams going up against each other.

'It’ll be a tough test for us because I’ve seen them on a few occasions and they’re clearly one of the best teams in the league, without a shadow of a doubt. That’s down to their recruitment of players — as well as the ones they already had in the squad — and the manager.

'You don’t get manager of the year awards after 20 games, but if John Coleman can sustain their current form then it will be quite an obvious choice. It’s a great club that is very well run and means a lot to the people of Accrington. What they lack in numbers, they certainly make up for in loyalty to their side.

'They sit fourth in the league and will probably be looking to finish higher than that come the end of the season. We’ve had a good week in training to prepare for the tie and will certainly give Accrington the respect they deserve — as we do with every side we face.'

Follow @Pompey_Fans

Click here to sign up for an account and reserve your username! You can then post on the Forum and add your comments to articles

Photo: Action Images

Swansea City Polls