South Shields continued their love affair with the nation’s biggest cup competitions on Saturday, as the reigning Buildbase FA Vase champions matched their best-ever run in the Emirates FA Cup.
The Mariners, who beat Cleethorpes Town 4-0 at Wembley Stadium in May to lift the Vase for the first time in their history, are through to third round qualifying for just the second time in their history after indulging in a spot of giantkilling at Darlington.
South Shields, newly-promoted to the Northern Premier League, recorded a superb 3-0 victory over the Quakers at Blackwell Meadows, with Dillon Morse getting the visitors up and running with just seven minutes gone.
Carl Finnigan made it 2-0 as he finished off Anthony Callaghan’s low cross and National League North side Darlington, once of the Football League, were finished off as former Falkirk frontman Finnigan struck again in the 89th minute.
There were upsets elsewhere as 74 second round qualifying ties took place across the country.
Handsworth Parramore, of the Northern Counties East League, can now look forward to visiting FC United of Manchester in a replay next Tuesday after holding their National League North opponents to a 1-1 draw.
The South Yorkshire outfit fell behind in the 34th minute after Stuart Ludlam was adjudged to have fouled Craig Lindfield, allowing Steven Irwin to dispatch from the penalty spot.
But the Amber Parras ensured the tie would finish level in dramatic circumstances as Pat Lindley notched with a minute of normal time remaining.
Midlands Football League side Haughmond also flew in the face of the odds as they held Boston United to a 1-1 draw at York Street.
National League North Boston took the lead through Jan Yeomans’ header but with 79 minutes on the clock, Scott Ryan swept home the equaliser to earn Haughmond a replay in Shropshire next week.
There were also a host of high-scoring meetings, with Chelmsford City thumping Ramsgate 7-0.
Chris Dickson led the way with a hat-trick while Michael Spillane, Tom Hitchcock, Jim Stevenson and Anthony Church all also on target for the Clarets.
Nat Jarvis also bagged himself three goals as Bath City thrashed saw off Knaphill 6-0, Jack Compton, Andy Watkins and Nick McCootie all also getting in on the act.
In the day’s early kick-off, Kidderminster Harriers beat Deeping Rangers 4-2 in front of the BBC cameras.
With a record attendance of 696 at Rangers’ Heydon Whitham Stadium, the visitors took the lead just past the half-hour mark courtesy of Andre Brown’s emphatic finish and they pressed the issue home from there, Emmanuel Sonupe lobbing over the Deeping keeper to make it 2-0.
Sonupe had his second and Kiddy’s third before the break, dusting himself down to dispatch from 12 yards after he was brought down in the area.
Rangers did have something to shout about eight minutes into the second period as Dan Schiavi headed home from a corner kick but back came Kiddy, substitute Andre Wright making it 4-1 with 69 minutes on the clock.
However, Deeping weren’t prepared to lie down and they grabbed themselves a second of the afternoon in the 77th minute, Scott Mooney pouncing to reduce the deficit, but his goal proved little more than a consolation.
