Eastleigh’s FA Cup clash with Crewe Alexandra tomorrow will pitch the Spitfires into competitive combat with Football League opposition for the first time.

Given the Cheshire club’s standing in the English game – Crewe were playing Championship football as recently as 2006 – the home team would normally be expected to start as overwhelming favourites, writes Paul McNamara

The Railwaymen, currently bottom of League One, halted a dreadful run of 238 days without a victory at their own Gresty Road ground last Saturday, when they beat Sheffield United 1-0.

Despite that precious win, Crewe boss Steve Davis has been at pains to highlight the relatively meagre Football League experience contained in his side, by contrast with their more savvy non-league opponents, who are littered with ex-league stalwarts.

And Daily Echo's research backs up Davis’ point.

The 11 Alex players who started their team’s overdue home triumph last week have made a total of 525 Football League starts between them.

Indeed, three of the Crewe side that lined-up against Sheffield United have fewer starts to their name than the 25 amassed by goalscorer Ryan Colclough.

Not one of the 11 sent out by Davis last week have reached three figures in terms of league starts.

By comparison, Dan Harding, expected to play at left-back for Chris Todd’s team tomorrow, has been handed a football league starting jersey on 325 occasions.

Not too far behind Harding, who has turned out for the likes of Ipswich Town, Southampton and Nottingham Forest, are Ben Strevens (226 league starts) and James Constable (204).

Even allowing for the likely presence of Jamie Turley and Jai Reason, players who have never operated above non-league level, in Todd’s side at Crewe, the Eastleigh boss will send out a team at Gresty Road that boasts more than 1,000 Football League starts in its ranks.

To further emphasise the gap in nous and wisdom that Crewe – ostensibly favourites to progress to round two – will have to plug tomorrow, Todd was able to call on Jack Midson, with 156 league starts under his belt, as a second-half substitute, when Eastleigh beat FC Halifax last Saturday.