After climbing up the divisions with three successive promotions in their first three seasons, Hereford are now a settled sixth-tier club, plying their trade in the National League North.
In their only previous appearance in the competition proper since then, Hereford’s name was in the hat for the potentially illustrious third round back in 2017.
That was thanks to a first round win over Telford before taking League One Fleetwood Town to a playoff in the next round.
Unfortunately, they fell to defeat here in that replay, but they will be dreaming of a different result against third-tier opposition again on Friday night.
None of the players who played in the FA Cup run are still at the club, so it is uncharted territory for this group of players.
They come into the tie in great form, as they have won seven of their last nine matches in all competitions, with their only defeat surprisingly coming against a struggling Bradford Park Avenue side.
Even still, it has been a fantastic response after being in the relegation zone after eight matches.It will be a hugely poignant moment on Friday too, as the club will rememberÂ
Ronnie Radford, the man who scored that famous goal against Newcastle United in the FA Cup in 1972 at this stadium, after he passed away this week.
Portsmouth were in action as recently as Tuesday, where a penalty shoot-out win over AFC Wimbledon sealed their place in the last 32 of the EFL Trophy, a competition they won in 2019 and were finalists in a year later.
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They also had fine pedigree in this competition too until their dramatic drop down the divisions, winning the cup itself in 2008 before being losing finalists in 2010.
Since falling out of the top two divisions in 2012, they have gone out in the first round in five of those 10 seasons, while disappointingly losing to Harrogate Town in round two last season.
Pompey are having a strong season though, sitting fifth in League One, within touching distance of many of the sides above them, who they have two games in hand on.
