The tenth annual Non-League Day saw hundreds of games across England on Saturday, including a full programme of FA Buildbase Vase and Trophy fixtures.
Partnered by Prostate Cancer UK, Non-League Day was founded in 2010 by Harrow Borough fan James Doe and clubs now use it to showcase grassroots football.
Sadly, Doe’s team couldn’t provide him with a victory, losing 2-1 at home to second-placed Truro City in the Southern League Premier Division South.
But Non-League Day isn’t just about the results – it places a spotlight on sides outside of the top four tiers while the Premier League and Championship pause for the international break.
Fans at Harborough Town were able to get a special selfie with the Buildbase FA Vase trophy and its presence brought The Bees luck as they beat Enfield 4-1 to progress to round two for the first ever time.
Thank you @FA as we host the #BuildbaseFAVase trophy; a 4-1 win vs @EnfieldFC. Into 2nd rnd for 1st time ever #HistoryMakers. A great #NonLeagueDay, and thank you to over #target200 fans today! All the best @EnfieldFC for rest of your season. @hfmnews @nonleaguedayuk @BBCMOTD pic.twitter.com/zWbeBHylBw
— Harborough Town FC (@HarbTownFC) October 12, 2019
Westfields FC are also through following an emphatic 8-0 win at Newton Abbot Spurs, where George Greaves scored a hat-trick.
Hackney Wick were officially adopted by AS Roma ahead of their Vase tie at Oxhey Jets, but support from the Italian giants couldn’t stop the Tottenham-based side succumbing to a 7-0 loss.
Hackney Wick is not your typical football club. With 230 active players across 18 teams, the club focuses on tackling gang culture. Founder Bobby Kasanga was a former gang member who served almost eight years in prison and since his release has dedicated his life to using football as a tool to improve Hackney’s community.
Let’s Go FA VASE first Round @1972jets v @hackneywickfc let’s go. Predict the score below pic.twitter.com/QCIkILF9fV
— Hackney Wick FC (@HackneyWickFC) October 12, 2019
In the FA Trophy, it took Tilbury just one minute to score against Waltham Abbey with the fastest goal of the day. Brian Moses helped the hosts to an entertaining 6-2 preliminary round win.
The Vanarama National League – known until Sunday 13 October as the Manarama National League in order to support Prostate Cancer – saw healthy attendances, with Notts County attracting 5,265 for their 2-0 win over Torquay United. There was a shock at the top, too, as leaders Halifax lost 2-0 at home to Boreham Wood.
As ever, plenty of fundraising took place up and down the country, including at Real Haynes. The club was originally founded by Gary Sales to distract him from treatment for bladder cancer. He is now six months away from potential remission. Real Haynes faced Blunham in an early kick-off at Haynes Village Hall and not only won 7-0, but served fans pre-match breakfast and half-time ice cream.
Another side to win handsomely was Walton & Hersham, who thrashed Ash United 5-1 in Combined Counties League Division One. The win was even more impressive considering the hosts started centre-back Sam Mafro in goal due to injury woes.
When you see Sam in goal pic.twitter.com/1lYJyM7yOI
— Walton & Hersham FC (@waltonhershamfc) October 12, 2019
The Surrey side have an interesting history and backstory. They famously knocked Brian Clough's Brighton out of the FA Cup in 1974 and are now owned by a consortium of seven 19-year-olds who all studied together at Hampton School.
Elsewhere, AFC Rushden & Diamonds staged an Octoberfest-themed gameday experience at Hayden Road that included German beer and a post-match concert from a band called the Oompa Loompahs. Diamonds – a phoenix club formed after the dissolution of Rushden & Diamonds in 2011 – lost 3-0 to Coalville Town in the Central Premier League in front of 588 fans.
Another bumper attendance came at Scotchman Road in Bradford as semi-professional outfit Campion beat Retford 6-0 in front of a club-record 421 supporters. Campion have now won seven consecutive games.
And it wasn’t just humans who were part Non-League Day, either. King’s Lynn Town were one of a number of sides to open their doors to dogs. The National League North side drew 2-2 with Chester City and despite having a ‘fox’ (in the form of Nathan Fox) in their team, we are told Gus the baby golden retriever was a very good boy in the stands!
Find out how Saturday's ties in the FA Trophy and FA Vase ended.
