Richard Greaves’ hat-trick secured Westfields FC's first-ever place in the Emirates FA Cup fourth round qualifying with a 4-0 victory over Walton Casuals.
That was despite an inferior position in the football pyramid for Westfields as a Midland Football League Premier side, opening the scoring with a Greaves tap-in just before the half-hour mark.
It was to get even better for the hosts as Greaves doubled his, and the side’s, tally - then watching Craig Jones rifle in from the penalty spot to make it 3-0.
The Emirates FA Cup
Third Round Qualifying
Saturday 1 October 2016
By Ross Lawson
But Greaves was not to go without his hat-trick, acrobatically netting a rebound for the victory, his side’s 21st goal of their Emirates FA Cup campaign, putting them one more win away from the First Round proper.
Westfields will be joined in Monday’s draw by former giant-killers Altrincham, avoiding their own shock by comfortably overcoming Morpeth Town 3-0.
Damian Reeves marked his 300th Altrincham game by opening the scoring for the National League North side – with the 2016 FA Vase winners pluckily holding on until close to the break.
Sean Miller capitalised on good work from debutant Phil Marsh to make it 2-0, with Simon Richman making the divisional class show with a third in stoppage time.
Elsewhere, there was Third Round Qualifying success for Welling United, with their 7-1 win over Swindon Supermarine due in no small part to a double hat-trick from Adam Coombes.
The striker showed exactly why he was part of Chelsea’s academy in his youth, scoring three times in the last ten minutes, with his fifth a rocket of a shot from distance.
Callum Parsons had earlier levelled for Supermarine, blown away by Coombes to bow out of the competition.
Hadley boss Micky Hazard has already tasted Emirates FA Cup glory with Spurs in 1982, with his effort this year still carrying on as a scoreless draw earned a replay with Eastbourne Borough - despite the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division outfit being three tiers below their opponents.
Meanwhile, Joe Colbeck’s 96th-minute equaliser stole a replay for Harrogate Town in a 3-3 draw with FC United of Manchester, as last-gasp goals proved a theme with Andy Pugh’s stoppage-time winner doing the business for Dartford against Slough Town.
Ebbsfleet United got the better of perennial giant-killers Havant & Waterlooville 7-0, while Burgess Hill Town, Worthing and Weymouth all hit six in their Third Round Qualifying ties.
Finally, Goldy Capela’s late goal for Billericay Town knocked out Chippenham Town 3-2, and Lancaster City boss Phil Brown – who reached the first round as a player – was unable to make any more FA Cup memories, losing 3-2 to Kidderminster Harriers.
