Northwich Victoria became the first team into the second qualifying round of The Emirates FA Cup with a 4-0 win at home to AFC Blackpool.
Iain Howard’s strike was all that separated the teams at half-time but then goals from Richie Bennett and Jordan Williams, along with an own goal, saw the Evo-Stik Division One North side progress at the expense of the team a level below them in the football pyramid.
It was an even start to the contest but then Bennett’s influence started to grow on the game. The number nine had already flicked a header over and shot straight at goalkeeper Daniel McDonald before his side finally took the lead midway through the first half.
Emirates FA Cup round-up
First Round Qualifying
Friday 11 September
Winning sides receive £3,000
Bennett was again involved as he produced a marvellous pass into the path of Howard and the striker swept the ball in with his left foot from 12 yards out.
Blackpool were not helping themselves as Matt Muscroft sold his goalkeeper short and fortunately for the North West Counties Premier side, Williams lifted his effort over the bar.
Bennett also couldn’t keep an effort down as the home team had to settle for just the one-goal lead at the interval.
It was Bennett who also had the first chance of the second period, as he struck a sweet shot over, before Michael Clarke sent a bullet header narrowly past the bar.
Blackpool kept pushing for the equaliser and Kurt Willoughby was not far away with his header from Aaron Fleming’s cross.
But when Kevan Ford turned a poor cross into his own net, it was the beginning of the end for the visitors.
More poor defending, as two Blackpool players failed to clear, allowed Bennett to add a deserved goal.
And the victory was wrapped up when Williams’ shot from outside the area nestled into the bottom corner.
Northwich were the only side to secure their place in the next round though as Frome Town and Chippenham Town could not be separated, despite the latter playing three-quarters of the game with ten men.
The home side Frome started the contest well as they shot wide and struck the bar from 30 yards out within the opening 11 minutes.
Chippenham’s first chance of note came through James Guthrie as his strike was smothered by Darren Chitty and the visitors’ striker Ashan Holgate then went desperately close to opening the scoring midway through the half when he struck the base of the post after flicking on a free-kick.
But the dynamics of the game changed moments later when Holgate was sent off for what the referee deemed to be a dangerous tackle.
Chippenham continued to battle though and both sides had efforts before the break.
Despite having a man fewer, the visitors looked a threat on the break and there was end-to-end drama until the death.
With just two minutes left on the clock, Chippenham full back Luke Ballinger thought he had won it when he left goalkeeper Chitty motionless only to see the ball go narrowly wide, which ensured the game finished 0-0 and the teams will face each other again in a replay.
