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A bit of history will be made today at The Shay Stadium as FC Halifax Town, of the National League, face League One's Exeter City for the first time ever in the FA Cup proper.

Halifax are in good league form. They currently sit just outside of the play-off places having lost just one of their past eight games.

In the FA Cup they have reached the second round three times, with the last being in 2021 when they overcame Maidenhead.

Who can forget Exeter's run FA Cup last season?!

The Grecians reached the fourth round - the club's best FA Cup run in 44 years - only to be knocked out on penalties by Nottingham Forest.

They are set to face a non-league side in the first round for a second consecutive season after they beat Barnet in last season's competition.

Gary Caldwell's side go into this having won their past two games having had an impressive 2-0 win over Devon rivals Plymouth Argyle in League One and a comeback 4-3 victory over Arsenal Under-21 in the Vertu Trophy.

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Four-time winners Bolton take on League One rivals Huddersfield at the Toughsheet Community Stadium and their form couldn't be more contrasting...

Bolton have won their past six home games while Huddersfield have lost their past four altogether. However, they have been eliminated in the FA Cup first round in five of the past six seasons, only reaching the second round in 2023-24 when they beat Solihull Moors 4-0.

The Trotters have progressed from five of their six FA Cup ties against today's opponents, though lost the most recent tie 2-1 in the third round in 2017-18.

Huddersfield's five FA Cup eliminations at the hands of Bolton is the most they’ve ever been knocked out by one opponent in the competition.

They will also want to banish memories of last year's competition after they were dumped out at this stage by non-league part-timers Tamworth.

These two only met a couple of weeks ago with Bolton coming out on top after a 2-1 win.

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Another League One club who disposed of their head coach over the past seven days were Reading.

Noel Hunt was sacked leaving the Royals 19th in League One, following three league wins from 14 games this season, and was replaced by former Wigan boss Leam Richardson.

The 45-year-old kicks off his new job with a FA Cup home tie against Carlisle United, who were relegated to the National League last season.

He will pit his wits against Mark Hughes, now in charge of the Cumbrians, who has made a good start to life in non-league with his side currently sitting third in the table after a good run of three wins and a draw in their past four league games.

Today is Carlisle’s first FA Cup tie as a non-league side since they lost in the second round in 2004-05 to Bournemouth - whatever happened to them anyway?

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New Peterborough boss Luke Williams prepares for his first match in charge of the club as Cardiff City travel to London Road in this all League One affair.

The former Swansea boss, who replaces Darren Ferguson following his sacking last Saturday, will know all about the threat his former rivals pose after Brian Barry-Murphy's side knocked out Championship club Wrexham to reach the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup in midweek.

Cardiff have won their past two games against Posh, with one of those wins coming on the opening day of this season in a comeback 2-1 victory.

Peterborough, however, have been very consistent at this stage of the competition, progressing from each of their past 15 FA Cup first-round ties, a run stretching back to the 2006-07 campaign.

Can a new manager bounce help them make it 16 today?

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League One strugglers Blackpool welcome National League's Scunthorpe to Bloomfield Road this afternoon.

It was a perfect start for new Blackpool boss Ian Evatt in his first game in charge as he picked up his first win since he took over last month, at Peterborough last Saturday.

The Seasiders, who won the FA Cup in 1953, have a good recent record in the first round having won their past five first-round games.

Scunthorpe are flying high in the National League sitting in second and have just tasted defeat just once so far this season.

It's not great reading regarding their recent record in the FA Cup, though. The Iron have lost their past four matches in the FA Cup proper (first round onwards) – they’ve never previously lost five in a row. This is their first match in the first round since 2021-22, losing 1-0 at home to Doncaster.

This is the first meeting between these two sides since November 2019 in an EFL Trophy game, which Scunthorpe won 3-1 at Bloomfield Road.

Think they'll take a repeat of that today.

A Yorkshire derby in the first round, what fun! South welcome north as York City head to Barnsley, who won the FA Cup in 1912.

The League One Tykes are now 44 places higher in the football ladder than their National League rivals and have a fine record against the Minstermen.

Barnsley are unbeaten in the past 15 encounters in all competitions, winning 11 of them, including the last eight in a row, most recently in the EFL Trophy a decade ago.

They also dumped City out of the FA Cup in the first round in 1953 and 2003 and have an enviable record at home in the competition, losing only one of their past eight ties at Oakwell, to Chelsea in the fifth round in 2001, and have kept a clean sheet in seven of their past 12 home ties.

York have been knocked out in each of their past nine ties against EFL sides, but how they’d love to break that run ‘down south’ today.

This one might not be high on the list of Saturday's potential giant-killings, but the beauty of the competition is you just never know.

AFC Wimbledon and Gateshead have never met in the FA Cup before and haven’t faced each other at all since a National League game nearly 15 years ago.

The Dons have progressed from eight of their past nine FA Cup first round ties, only losing against Doncaster in 2019-20, and hopes will be high of making round two as they lie 57 places above the Heed in the football ladder.

Johnnie Jackson’s side did lose their first game in eight in League One last Saturday to lie sixth, while the visitors have picked up eight points from their past five National League games to climb to 15th after a slow start.

However Alun Armstrong’s men have been eliminated in each of their past 10 FA Cup ties against EFL opposition since a 2-0 win at Halifax 25 years ago.

The Magic of the Cup is alive and kicking today.

We have seen our first upset of the competition 'proper' and the first two ties of the round have seen 12 goals scored and plenty of drama.

Don't worry, there's plenty more where that came from, we have another 32 ties to come at 15:00 GMT so there's no time to waste, let's take a look at what's in store...

Chelmsford goalscorer Jesurun Uchegbulam, who made his debut after signing yesterday, tells TNT Sports: "It's been a whirlwind 24 hours. It's a dream debut for me.

"I knew I'd be starting before I signed. I was a bit nervous but hopefully I delivered today. I feel like (his) third goal killed the game.

"I know there's a lot of history between the clubs and it being a derby, I am delighted, not just for me, but the team and fans as well.

"We'll focus on the league and then find out who we have got next."

Lee Barnard
Former Chelmsford and Braintree forward on BBC Radio Essex

It was one of them where Chelmsford showed more than Braintree today, and they thoroughly deserved the win - and they are into the draw for the next round.

Angelo Harrop will be pleased with the way they went about it, they were on the front foot, creating chances and nothing really shown by Braintree.

It was a really good win for Chelmsford.

We have our first upset of the FA Cup proper, and it was hugely deserved.

The sweetest of revenge for National League South Chelmsford, beaten by local rivals Braintree in their last meeting on the way to promotion to the National League in 2024, as the Clarets book their place in the second round for the first time since 2012.

First half goals from Jason Adigun, Lyle Taylor and debutant Jesurun Uchegbulam had them 3-1 to the good at half-time, with John Akinde's penalty reducing the arrears.

Taylor capitalised on some slack defending to slot the fourth atter the turnaround while Aidan Francis-Clarke's red card for violent conduct saw the Iron play the final half-hour a man short on an incredibly dismal day for them.

Chelmsford were excellent, earning every penny of the £47,750 prize money they are due for winning, and no side would choose to head to the Melbourne Stadium in round two on this form.

Lee Barnard
Former Chelmsford and Braintree forward on BBC Radio Essex

It has been really comfortable for Chelmsford.

If Braintree had come out fighting this could been a really good game.

City keeper Chris Haigh made a key save at 2-1 up in the first half but has had nothing much to do since then, until now...

Elliot Thorpe fizzes in a swerving shot from outside the box which Haigh has to tip over the bar acrobatically.

Sadly for Braintree and their fans they have SIX additional minutes to endure.

They'll have to switch their focus quickly and get over this as they face a battle to stay up in the National League for the second season in succession.

A minute and change of normal time remaining as Lyle Taylor is named as player of the match.

Chelmsford are making a triple change as Jason Adigun, evergreen Ricky Holmes and Jesurun Uchegbulam heading off and Archie Tamplin and Josh Castiglione coming on.

Victoria Polley
BBC Radio Essex commentator

There are some Braintree fans that have seen enough, they are making their way towards the exit.

We saw a three-goal come back from a National League side in the second half at Kenilworth Road last night, although it eventually fell short, but it feels like there is no real jeopardy left in this one, with Town playing with 10 and City controlling the tempo and fresh City legs stretching the game.

Lee Barnard
Former Chelmsford and Braintree forward on BBC Radio Essex

Braintree have got to keep their heads, Chelmsford are going to be enjoying themselves and will be winding them up.

It is not going to be an easy end to the game for Braintree.

Two-goal Lyle Taylor speaking to TNT Sports after being subbed: "I could have had a hat-trick, that would have been perfect.

"We need to see it out professionally, but it's been a good day for the club.

"I've been brought here to do a job. It's an all-encompassing role for me. I am doing all I can to help this club move forward."