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Five famous FA Cup first round giantkillings

Thursday 08 Nov 2018
Salford hero Richie Allen in between co-owners Gary Neville and Nicky Butt

The Emirates FA Cup first round is synonymous with giantkillings as non-League sides dream of taking the scalp of a more celebrated opponent.

At least four non-League clubs will progress from this season’s first round at the weekend with Woking taking on Torquay United, Southport facing Boreham Wood, Hitchin Town hosting Solihull Moors and Slough Town travelling to Sutton United.

Meanwhile, the remaining 22 non-League clubs have been pitched against Football League outfits, with some famous Cup sides among them.

And, with Emirates FA Cup progress high on the agenda, not to mention £36,000 in prize money, we take a look at five famous first round giantkillings of recent times:

Histon 1-0 Swindon Town (Saturday 8 November 2008)

There were two divisions between Histon and Swindon Town, but it was the non-League side who advanced to the second round thanks to Danny Wright’s second-half strike.

The match-winner had a goal disallowed in the first half for an alleged foul on Robins’ keeper Peter Brezovan – but Wright made amends after the break.

It was a famous win for Histon and they bettered it in the next round by knocking out 1972 winners Leeds United.

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Rochdale 2-3 FC United of Manchester (6 November 2011)

A dramatic added-time strike by Michael Norton stunned Rochdale at Spotland and sent non-League FC United of Manchester into the second round.

Nicky Platt's chip put the visitors ahead just before the break and Jake Cotterill doubled the lead with a wonderful 20-yard strike.

Anthony Elding pulled one back for the Dale and Craig Dawson levelled matters before Norton’s late, late intervention.

With four divisions between the two sides it was FC United’s most notable victory since they were formed in 2005.

Warrington Town 1-0 Exeter City (7 November 2014)

Warrington Town were the lowest-ranked side left in the competition and they had never been in The FA Cup first round before – and they edged Exeter City to keep their historic run going.

One-hundred places separated the Northern Premier League Division One outfit and the Grecians of League Two, but Craig Robinson’s seventh-minute header made light of that gap.

It was hitherto the biggest shock of the 2014-15 FA Cup and the biggest result in Warrington’s 64-year history.

Blyth Spartans 4-1 Altrincham (9 November 2014)

Robbie Dale and Dan Maguire each scored twice as Blyth Spartans pulled off a shock by easing past National League Premier side Altrincham.

The hosts took the lead on four minutes when Shaun Densmore brought down Dale, who converted the subsequent penalty.

Blyth went 2-0 up when Maguire linked up with Matthew Wade before slotting home.

Kyle Perry halved the deficit but further goals from Dale and Maguire smoothed Blyth’s progress.

It was the second time Blyth, from the seventh tier, had made it through to the second round since 2008-09.

Salford City 2-0 Notts County (6 November 2015)

Part-timers Salford City and their famous owners experienced a night they will never forget as they dumped League Two Notts County out of The FA Cup at Moor Lane.

Nicky Butt, Gary Neville and Paul Scholes watched on from a grass bank at the far side of the ground as Danny Webber and Richie Allen handed Salford a remarkable 2-0 win.

By FA Staff