FA CUP NON-LEAGUE AWAY-DAYS: Some banana skins avoided by the Cobblers... and a few too many that weren't!

It's FA Cup first round week, and the Cobblers are preparing for their trip to non-League Chippenham Town.
Carl Heggs celebrates winning the penalty shootout at Basingstoke in 1997Carl Heggs celebrates winning the penalty shootout at Basingstoke in 1997
Carl Heggs celebrates winning the penalty shootout at Basingstoke in 1997

It will be the first time the clubs have met, with Town expected to be backed by a 1,000-strong travelling support on their first visit to Hardenhuish Park.Keith Curle's men will be strong favourites to win the game against the National League South outfit, but we all know winning these FA Cup clashes at non-League clubs is easier said than done!Over the years, the Cobblers have probably suffered more than their fair share of slips on those 'potential banana skins' when on the FA Cup road.They were most recently on the end of a 'giant killing' back in 2016, when Rob Page's side were beaten 1-0 at Stourbridge.That club name is one of a few that will send shivers down the spines of Cobblers supporters, with others including Leatherhead, Crawley Town, Yeovil - and of course, Canvey Island.It's not all been slip ups of course.Town have on many occasions secured safe progression, and Curle and his players will be hoping that is going to be the case at the weekend.Here, we take a look back at the Cobblers on the non-League road in the FA Cup, stretching right back to their encounter with the 'Leatherhead Lip' back in 1976.Photographer Pete Norton has been on hand to capture the images from most of those matches, and he has trawled through his archives to show some of them off here.