Tony Rains and Matthew Hanlon celebrate beating Coventry in 1989

By Stephan Shemilt

From Botham's Ashes to Maradona's hand of God, Borg and McEnroe to Bob Champion and Aldaniti - a compilation tape of 1980s sport has no shortage of standout moments jostling for inclusion.

Major names shaping sporting history on the biggest stages.

But standing shoulder to shoulder with events at Headingley, Mexico 86, Wimbledon and Aintree, is an FA Cup third round tie at Gander Green Lane, Sutton on Saturday, 7 January 1989.

It was there and then that Conference side Sutton United created their own slice of history, beating 1987 FA Cup winners Coventry City 2-1 with goals from Tony Rains and Matthew Hanlon.

More than 20 years later Sutton are still the last non-league club to knock a top-flight side out of the FA Cup.

"It would be very difficult for anyone at the club to avoid what happened on that day," Sutton chairman Bruce Elliot, who was on the club's board in 1989, told BBC Sport.

We've had a number of very good FA Cup runs, but beating Coventry was the pinnacle Bruce Elliot

"The goals seem to get shown every year and we're very conscious that we are the last non-league club to beat a side from the top flight.

"It's part of the club's tradition. We've had a number of very good FA Cup runs, but beating Coventry was the pinnacle."

Now in the Ryman Premier League, Sutton marked the 20th anniversary of the win over the Sky Blues with a reunion party earlier this year.

"None of us involved at the time realised quite how big a result it was or how much publicity it would generate," added Elliot.

"The following Monday, Tony Raines and Matt Hanlon were on the Terry Wogan show.

"Barrie Williams, the manager at the time, returned for the reunion, as did some of the players. John Motson, who commentated on the game, was there and so was Ricky George."

That's right. Ricky George.

The same Ricky George who scored the winning goal when non-league Hereford United beat First Division Newcastle 2-1 in a third round replay in 1972, arguably the only post-war shock bigger than Sutton's win over Coventry.

Sutton were beaten 8-0 by Norwich City in the following round

That's the same Hereford United who welcome Sutton on Saturday in the first round of this year's competition.

"I spent much of the evening with Tony Rains and Matt Hanlon, discussing the whole aspect of giantkilling and who had pulled off the bigger shock," said George.

"Lo and behold, at the first opportunity since that anniversary, Sutton get Hereford. It's an amazing draw."

An amazing draw that leaves the Bulls in an unfamiliar position.

Usually all the talk surrounding a Hereford FA Cup tie is about their history as giantkillers. Now they must avoid embarrassment against a side who know a thing or two about pulling off a cup shock.

"Sutton could quite easily be the giantkillers of the first round," added George.

"They are going well in the Ryman Premier and are well capable of pulling off a shock at Edgar Street just like we were at Newcastle all those years ago.

"These shocks can still happen. Sutton will have heard all about Hereford and will be right up for it.

Sutton will not travel to Edgar Street thinking of anything else than getting a result Ricky George

"They will not travel to Edgar Street thinking of anything else than getting a result."

With League Two side Hereford lying 60 places above Sutton on the English football ladder, a win for the U's would certainly register as upset.

But thanks to the FA Cup history of the two sides it would not be the biggest shock either club has been involved in.

With the days ticking by to 2010 and the winners of this game only one more victory away from the glamour of the third round, both teams will be hoping Saturday's events at Edgar Street is the precursor to one of the next decade's most memorable sporting moments.

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