Both teams will be looking for a way through to Round Three, with the exception of a prize fund of £27,000 at stake, there is also the potential to land one of the 44 teams which will join from both the Premier League and SkyBet Championship.
Non-Leaguers Worcester City were rewarded with a trip to Bramall Lane following their heroics in the Qualifiers, and United made a simple task in beating the Midlands side who had caused Coventry City much trouble twelve months previous. Meanwhile, what looked a straight forward all-Football League encounter almost ended with the underdogs sneaking through...
Mansfield Town 0-0 Oldham Athletic
Round One: Saturday, 7th November 2015
It took two goal-line clearances from Cameron Dummigan and a glaring miss from Reggie Lambe to ensure Oldham came away from Mansfield with a 0-0 draw and a replay from an entertaining Emirates FA Cup first-round tie at One Call Stadium. A highly-entertaining first half saw both sides spurn good chances. For League One strugglers Oldham, Mark Yeates had a shot deflect just wide after robbing Nicky Hunt after seven minutes.
Just before the half-hour mark, Ricardo Fuller - making his full debut for the visitors - should have scored from Yeates' through ball but placed his finish wide. However, the League Two side had their moments and Joseph Mills produced a timely tackle for Oldham as hitman Matt Green prepared to pull the trigger and skipper Brian Wilson blocked a powerful Mitch Rose finish. But Mansfield missed a golden chance in stoppage time as Lambe met a Craig Westcarr cross from the left with a volley five yards from goal that he failed to keep down.
Green came close to breaking the deadlock on 57 minutes, but Oldham keeper Joel Coleman blocked his first shot and Dummigan cleared his follow-up off the line. Four minutes later Latics substitute Lee Croft cut in from the right and was afforded space to try to curl a shot across Brian Jensen, the big Dane down well to his right to palm away. With 10 minutes to go Dummigan was there again to clear off the line as Nathan Thomas met a low right-wing cross that Westcarr had already taken a swing at and missed.
Sheffield United 2-0 Worcester City
Round One: Saturday: 7th November 2015
Goals from Jose Baxter, Conor Sammon and Kieron Freeman gave Sheffield United a 3-0 victory over non-league Worcester City in the first round of the FA Cup. United keeper George Long was forced to make a sixth-minute save, tipping Connor Gater's 20-yard effort over. Baxter scored from the penalty spot in the 19th minute to put the hosts in front after Che Adams was fouled by Sam Minihan following his burst into the area.
Jamal Campbell-Ryce went close to extending United's lead soon after when his shot came back off the bar. The home side continued to dominate with Adams and Campbell-Ryce both going close and Sammon heading wide before the break. Worcester's Deon Burton tried a long-range shot which was comfortably saved by Long.
Freeman had a shot parried by Nathan Vaughan at his near post. Baxter then shot wide after looking certain to score and a Bob Harris free-kick struck the bar. Sammon made it 2-0 after 81 minutes, tapping in from close range after meeting a low cross from Campbell-Ryce. Freeman bundled the ball into the net to complete the scoring in stoppage time.
Oldham Athletic 2-0 Mansfield Town
Round One: Tuesday, 17th November 2015 (replay)
Oldham avoided an FA Cup upset as they won 2-0 against Mansfield in a hard-fought first-round replay. Goals from Danny Philliskirk and Dominic Poleon earned victory for the Sky Bet League One side, who now face a tie at Sheffield United. League Two Mansfield were almost gifted the opening goal from a wayward back pass by Oldham defender Brian Wilson, but keeper Joel Coleman did well to deny Matt Green.
In atrocious conditions, Oldham's only chance before half-time saw James Wilson's glancing header saved by the diving Scott Shearer. The home side nearly struck when Philliskirk's header was cleared off the line before Shearer saved well from Brian Wilson's follow-up shot. And the breakthrough came after 70 minutes as Joseph Mills crossed from the left and Philliskirk got in behind defender Krystian Pearce to slam home from 10 yards.
Oldham doubled their lead eight minutes later, with Poleon firing in an excellent angled shot from 16 yards after good work by Philliskirk and Mark Yeates. Mansfield's challenge faded quickly and it was almost 3-0 in stoppage time when Liam Kelly drilled inches wide from long range.