National League Tamworth staged the first upset of the Emirates FA Cup First Round with a 1-0 win over League One Huddersfield.
Tom Tonks’ throw-ins caused the Terriers problems from minute one and it was his missile on the stroke of half time which proved the difference between the sides.
Tonks took aim twice in the opening minutes at The Lamb Ground as the hosts made an imposing start but it was Town’s Tom Iorpenda who went closest to opening the scoring early on with a shot which whistled past the upright.
Michael Duff’s side then came close through Ollie Turton and Bojan Radulović but Tamworth steadily grew into the game and felt they could have had a penalty after another menacing Tonks throw.
DREAMLAND 💭
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) November 1, 2024
Non-league @tamworthfc defied the odds to knock out @htafc and progress in the #EmiratesFACup first round 👏 pic.twitter.com/jIgr2FBBne
Dan Creaney then headed over from a difficult angle as Tamworth continued to ask problems of the Town rearguard but as half-time approached, Jasbir Singh had to be alert to deny Iorpenda from close range.
The away side were left to rue that missed chance moments later when another Tonks throw finally ended in a goal as ‘keeper Chris Maxwell could only palm into his net amid a crowd of bodies.
Town pushed forward after the break but struggled to carve out too many clear-cut chances.
Half-time substitute Callum Marshall rushed a shot wide and Ben Wiles drilled across goal in the dying moments but Tamworth held out to secure a memorable victory.
Tommy Tonks' long-throws always cause havoc 🫨
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) November 1, 2024
What a moment for @tamworthfc 🤩#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/6isLaT82M3
In the other game of Friday night, Notts County came from a goal down to secure an emphatic 5-1 victory over Alfreton Town at Meadow Lane.
After an energetic start between the high-flyers of League Two and the National League it was the underdogs who struck first.
Liam Waldock was fastest to react to a blocked Jake Day shot, stroking home from 12 yards out to send the travelling away fans into raptures.
The most composed of finishes gives @AlfretonTownFC a special moment ♥️#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/1kkhNfEZ7B
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) November 1, 2024
Their joy was short-lived however, as the hosts struck back just two minutes later after Matty Platt’s speculative effort from distance took a deflection which spun past helpless Reds goalkeeper George Willis.
Josh Martin unleashed a couple of shots from distance but Alfreton enjoyed their own moments of promise before the break with Adam Lund causing problems in open play and from long throws.
It didn’t take long for County to hit the front after the break, showing their class with a neat move on the edge of the box.
After a low cross from Jevani Brown, County's top-scorer Alassana Jatta fired home for his first of the night.
Jevani Brown is quickest to react to tie up a dominant performance for @Official_NCFC ⚡️#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/4W50b6D3DL
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) November 1, 2024
That proved to be a turning point as County asserted their dominance and having been denied once by Willis, Gambian Jatta converted a one-on-one opportunity to put daylight between the sides.
It was then the Brown show late onas he bagged his first two goals for his new club. The first came from the penalty spot after Ryley Reynolds was fouled before the Bristol Rovers loanee tucked home a rebound from Kellan Gordon’s parried effort to add an extra gloss to the scoreline.
