FA Cup roundup: Non-league Aldershot cause major upset against League Two side, Forest Green are held to a draw while Bristol Rovers breeze into second round
- Non-league side Aldershot beat Swindon Town away from home to progress
- Forest Green needed a last-ditch goal to earn a draw away to Scarborough
- Big debates on Man United, Chelsea and Arsenal on It’s All Kicking Off podcast
SWINDON 4-7 ALDERSHOT
Aldershot manager Tommy Widdrington was in a state of disbelief last night after the National League side made FA Cup history at Swindon.
Jack Barham scored a hat-trick as the Shots were in dreamland, going 7-0 up in under an hour.
They became the first non-league side to score seven goals against a league opponent and Widdrington said: ‘That was barmy, unreal.’
Aldershot were in front through Barham within a minute, he added his second two minutes later and the goals didn’t stop coming.
Josh Stokes grabbed the third, Lorent Tolaj a brace either side of a Cian Harries penalty, before Barham added Swindon’s seventh with just 58 minutes on the clock.
The first round of the FA Cup saw some major upsets as clubs in the Football League bowed out
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Shellshocked Swindon snapped into life late on with a remarkable four-goal barrage, Dan Kemp and Charlie Austin scoring two apiece.
‘This is a scoreline you can’t ignore,’ Widdrington said. ‘I have nothing but praise for the lads.’
Swindon boss Michael Flynn, who famously managed Newport to a series of FA Cup upsets over Leeds and Leicester, was furious after seeing his League Two side humiliated. ‘I didn’t see that coming,’ he said. ‘We have given away some sloppy goals this season, but nothing like that.
‘I think that there are two players who can hold their heads up, just. The others were nowhere near good enough.’
SCARBOROUGH ATHLETIC 1-1 FOREST GREEN
SCARBOROUGH were left ‘devastated’ after coming within seconds of a famous upset only to be denied by Olly Sully’s late equaliser.
Alex Wiles had powered the sixth-tier side into a first-half lead and they repelled wave after wave of second-half pressure, only for Sully to bundle home in stoppage time for the League Two side.
The boisterous home terraces fell silent, and Scarborough boss Jonathan Greening echoed the home fans’ disappointment.
‘The boys are absolutely devastated because they’ve put an absolute shift in against a team that are two leagues higher than us, a full-time team whereas we’re only part-time,’ said the former Manchester United midfielder.
‘We were so unlucky not to see out that final minute. A lapse in concentration killed us. For the other 92 minutes, we were superb all over the pitch.
‘They didn’t cut us open, or hurt us with good football. I thought we were the better team.’
It was the first time Athletic, who emerged as a fan-owned club 16 years ago, had made it through to the FA Cup first round.
And on the strength of their efforts yesterday the National League North strugglers will travel to Gloucestershire for the replay with hope they can still progress.
HEREFORD 0-2 GILLINGHAM
Stephen Clemence praised his Gillingham side’s character as they overcame underdogs Hereford.
Jayden Clarke’s deflected goal gave the League Two side a first-half lead before Tom Nichols’ late penalty sealed their passage.
‘The boys have shown great character,’ said Clemence. ‘I didn’t feel Hereford really opened us up.’
The hosts’ manager Paul Caddis claimed that referee Ollie Yeates had made the wrong decision over the late spot kick. ‘We’ve just had an apology for the penalty,’ he said
BRADFORD 1-2 WYCOMBE
Wycombe manager Matt Bloomfield expressed his relief after their first-round win at Bradford.
He said: ‘We looked a little bit leggy in the last half an hour, so fair play to them digging in.’
Wanderers were in front after 19 minutes through Killian Phillips and doubled their lead when home defender Sam Stubbs headed into his own net. Managerless Bradford pulled one back through Jamie Walker to set up a tense finish.
Their caretaker manager Mark Trueman said: ‘We’re disappointed.’
BRISTOL ROVERS 7-2 WHITBY TOWN
Rovers made their quality tell against Northern Premier League Premier Division side Whitby.
John Marquis, Luke Thomas, Jevani Brown, Antony Evans (pen), Harrison Beeden (own goal), Harvey Vale and Aaron Collins were on the scoresheet, with Junior Mondal and Connor Simpson replying for the visitors.
Whitby’s manager Nathan Haslam said: ‘You can see the gulf in class. It’s crazy really. We showed them too much respect
RAMSGATE 2-1 WOKING
Lee Martin, the former Manchester United star, grabbed the winner as eighth-tier side Ramsgate came from behind to beat Woking and reach round two for the first time.
Dennon Lewis had put National League side Woking in front before TJ Jadama equalised.
And the Isthmian League South East side were not done there with Martin thrilling most of the 3,000 fans by scoring the winner goal in the 76th minute
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