Stoke and Aston Villa backed to lead home 130/1 FA Cup accumulator

Identifying a winning treble can often prove hard work given the raft of upsets that are typically associated with FA Cup third round weekend, but we are going all out to start 2013 in flying fashion with a 130/1 seven-result accumulator.

Two of the biggest foreseeable bankers this time are Middlesbrough and Spurs and both can be expected to overcome handicaps to confirm their passage to round four.

Middlesbrough entertain Hastings of the Isthmian League and the visitors have only won three games this season against opposition of their own standard, let alone from five rungs higher up the football pyramid.

The fact that goalkeeper Mat Armstrong-Ford is a major doubt is also far from ideal and Middlesbrough should have little trouble winning this by at least three goals.

Tottenham are only being backed to overcome a one-goal handicap at home to League One Coventry.

The gulf in class is obvious between the pair and Coventry have already been tonked in north London this season in the Capital One Cup, when losing 6-1 to Arsenal.

But Coventry’s away form this season is better than their home and they have won all of their last six on their travels, meaning that they may give a better account of themselves this time.

It is hard to turn down the chance to include a Premier League club at close to 1/1 to win at home to lower-league opposition and so Aston Villa make the accumulator to brush aside Ipswich.

Stoke should have a tougher time at Crystal Palace, but Ian Holloway may rest some of his bigger names with potentially lucrative moves awaiting in the transfer window.

Meanwhile, Stoke are notoriously tough to beat and they are bound to take this competition seriously.

In some clashes without Premier League involvement, Derby have only lost one in nine at home and can progress beyond League One leaders Tranmere, while Sheffield United should have too much for Oxford.

In the all League Two clash, Rotherham have already won 3-0 at Aldershot once this season and can leave with another victory.

FA Cup selections
Tottenham (-1) to beat Coventry @ 11/20
Derby to beat Tranmere @ 3/4
Aston Villa to beat Ipswich @ 19/20
Middlesbrough (-2) to beat Hastings @ 11/10
Sheffield United to beat Oxford @ 6/5
Stoke to beat Crystal Palace @ 11/8
Rotherham to beat Aldershot @ 5/4

All odds and markets accurate as of publication’s time and date