Which happens most weekends of course and despite my preoccupation with the FA Cup I must start my roundup with Gillingham, my neighbour`s heroes;  it is rumoured but unconfirmed that he made the journey to Priestfield Stadium yesterday only to see the Gills get hammered 4-0 by visiting Ipswich Town.  Worrying times for him and his fellow devotees, as this result firmly anchors the Gills in the relegation zone of League One.  I am there for him, of course, should he feel the need for counselling - a service he has offered me in the past given my own penchant for Southampton FC.

Elsewhere Brechin City made the journey to Pitmedden, a small village north of Aberdeen and the home of Formartine United.  City came out 1-0 losers to dent their hopes of a swift return to Scottish League Two.  They have now slumped to fifth in the Highland League, but then Formartine`s North Lodge Park is never an easy place to go to.  

No games for Fort William, Stoke Gabriel and Torbay Police FC, Vale of Leithen or Truro City, whose game away at Salisbury City was called off due to a waterlogged pitch.  Maidstone United went to Billericay in Essex in the National League South but could only manage a 1-1 draw against the league`s bottom club - a disappointing result perhaps which sees the Stones drop to second in the table on goal difference from near neighbours Ebbsfleet.

As our street are now Ravens fans, we followed Bromley`s National League home game against Solihull Moors with renewed interest as it marked the home debut for Scott Wagstaff of this parish, who did not disappoint, scoring Bromley`s first goal in their 2-1 win.  I think they are due to play Aldershot soon, so it will be interesting to see what reaction Scott gets from the Shots crowd on his return to play against the club he has just recently left.  Maybe they will be charitable.

I have left Southampton to last partly because their gritty 3-2 win away at Swansea in the FA Cup has been perhaps under reported.  The Saints, despite suffering injuries and Covid cases, put out a strong side against their Championship opponents;  went 1-0 up after Nathan Redmond`s deft finish and then went down to ten men as a result of French defender Yan Valery being dismissed after 30 minutes for two `soft` yellow cards.   So, the game changed - went a bit topsy turvy with Swansea going ahead 2-1, Saints pulling it back to 2-2 and eventually winning 3-2 after extra time.  A performance of much character and endeavour to play with ten men for 90 minutes but one which may have taken its toll on the team`s fitness in advance of Tuesday evening`s Premier League game against Brentford.  We`ll see.

So, as the great man said, "You win some, you lose some."   Life`s rich pageant, I guess.