Non-league Kidderminster stun Doncaster
Exeter upset Huddersfield in first round
Charlie Savage scored against his father’s team as Reading eased into the second round of the FA Cup with a 5-0 rout of Peterborough at the Weston Homes Stadium.
This all-League One tie turned out to be one of the most one-sided of the day, with the Peterborough manager Robbie Savage watching on in disbelief as his side were pulled apart.
Reading went ahead after 26 minutes as slick passing led to Andy Rinomhota playing in Daniel Kyerewaa, who found the bottom corner via a deflection. Reading doubled their lead in the 34th minute when a cross from Haydon Roberts was met by a diving header from top scorer Jack Marriott.
It was effectively game over in first-half stoppage time as Savage deepened his father’s misery when he took possession after the ball ran off Marriott, with his deflected effort finding the top corner.
Jamie Reid added a fourth for the visitors in the 72nd minute when Paudie O’Connor nodded Savage’s free-kick into his path for him to lift over the Peterborough goalkeeper Alex Bass. Reading struck yet again four minutes later when Liam Fraser’s pass put Reid clean through to score his second.
Non-league Kidderminster breezed into the second round of the FA Cup with a convincing 3-0 victory over League One Doncaster.
The National League club opened the scoring after 22 minutes when Maz Kouhyar pulled the ball back to Lewis Walker, and he fired home at the second attempt after his initial shot had hit the upright.
The Harriers striker continued to cause problems, putting an effort over the bar and another just wide, but in the 36th minute he turned provider, charging upfield before teeing up Kouhyar and the on-loan Notts County midfielder slotted home.
Doncaster had calls for a penalty waved away when Alfie May went sprawling on the deck as he tried to connect with a Jordan Thomas pass inside the area, but two minutes later they fell further behind. Kouhyar was again involved, having a shot that Josh Clarke could only parry and David Davis turned in the rebound.
The Kidderminster manager, Paul Wotton, said: “We started well, scored the goal and got the crowd up. It was just a really good day. They are a League One team at the end of the day, no matter what the scoreline suggests. They are two leagues higher than us, so they are going to have moments in the game, but we stood up to it.
“We’ve been playing well but just not getting our rewards. Today we got our rewards. It’s been a really good day for the football club and a really good day for the fans, which is what it’s all about – you could just see the atmosphere at the end.”
League Two Exeter pulled off an upset with a 2-1 win away to League One leaders Huddersfield. Exeter took the lead after 12 minutes, thanks to a perfectly delivered cross from the left from Luca Woodhouse, with centre-back Jack Taylor stealing in at the far post to finish it off.
Huddersfield looked a different team in the second half and found an equaliser within eight minutes of the restart as Ibane Bowat headed home Cameron Humphreys’ corner at the back post.
Charlie Cummins grabbed the winner nine minutes from time at the end of a well-worked move up the right, culminating in Reece Cole’s cutback and a good finish.
Blackpool survived a scare at Hornchurch, needing to rely on a 118th-minute winner from Josh Bowler to secure a 2-1 comeback victory at the Hornchurch Stadium.
Bowler, a half-time substitute, proved to be the gamechanger for Ian Evatt’s side, using his pace and trickery to alter the course of the tie.
Blackpool’s timidity in the first half allowed their National League opponents to claim a deserved half-time lead. Minutes after Josh Walker had shot straight at Blackpool keeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell, Ángelo Balanta then showed greater composure as the visiting defence was opened up again. Balanta slid in a clever cross that was stroked home by early Hornchurch substitute Henry Hearn.
Showing greater urgency in the second half, it was Bowler’s cross following a corner that was met by a sweetly struck Jordan Brown volley in the 55th minute to make it 1-1. The home side were then reduced to 10 men in the second period when Henry Sandat pulled back Bowler, who was bursting clear. From the resulting free-kick, Finley Munroe struck the Hornchurch bar.
And Blackpool’s pressure finally told when Tom Bloxham laid the ball in front of Bowler to curl home the late winner.
Altrincham were denied another famous FA Cup upset as they conceded an 84-minute equaliser against Notts County before bowing out in a penalty shootout.
County took the lead through Jacob Bedeau in the 28th minute but Altrincham responded well with Lucas Weaver grabbing an equaliser six minutes before half-time. Lewis Banks gave the hosts the lead just before the hour but Callum Roberts dashed Altrincham’s hopes of another cup scalp, having beaten 17 Football League sides in the competition, scoring with a first-time strike to force extra-time.
With neither side able to make a breakthrough in extra-time the game went to penalties and Aidan Barlow, Sam Taylor and Eddy Jones all missed from the spot for Altrincham as County triumphed 3-2.
Fleetwood’s hopes of following up their memorable Carabao Cup upset against Premier League champions Arsenal with a long FA Cup run are over after a 2-1 home defeat by fellow League Two side Rochdale. Baba Adeeko’s goal in extra time at Highbury sent the visitors through.
Chesterfield withstood a second-half comeback from Yeovil Town to secure their place in the second round with a 4-3 victory. Yeovil recovered from 3-1 down to level at 3-3 before Joel Randall struck the winner a minute from time.
Late Mansfield goals from Rhys Oates and Jordan Bowery ended the plucky Cup resistance of National League North Macclesfield. Nathan Moriah-Welsh gave Mansfield a first-half lead but the Silkmen were still in the tie under Oates made it 2-0 in the 72nd minute. Bowery added a third three minutes into added time to wrap up victory for the Stags. “We were a bit sloppy early on and kept giving the ball to them, which was inexcusable really,” said the Mansfield manager, Nigel Clough. “But in the second half we played some good football and got in some good positions. It was a relief to see that second goal go in.”
League One Plymouth eased through thanks to three goals in a late 11-minute spell in a 4-0 win against Southern League Premier Central battlers Alvechurch. Will Evans finally broke the deadlock after 50 minutes, winning the ball from Jessy Bavanganga before driving a low angled shot into the far corner. Further goals from Evans, Michael Baidoo and Ronan Curtis saw the Pilgrims through.
League One strugglers Barnsley booked their spot in the second round with a 7-2 win over Aldershot at Oakwell, with Cameron McGeehan grabbing a hat-trick.
Leyton Orient held off Harborough 5-1 to progress into the second round while League Two high-flyers Crewe beat Wimbledon 2-1.
Nick Powell and Adam Phillips scored twice as Bradford thrashed National League North side Marine 7-0, while a late goal from Joel Randall helped Cheltenham close out a dramatic 4-3 win over National League Yeovil.
Last season’s quarter-finalists Port Vale booked their place in the second round with a 4-2 victory over National League strugglers Scunthorpe United at Vale Park. MK Dons avoided an upset as they ground out a 2-1 win over League Two Swindon.
Southern League Premier Central team Worcester’s hopes of an upset were ended in a 1-0 defeat at League Two Colchester while Jack Bates scored twice in the first half as Dover progressed with a 2-0 win over Wealdstone.
Ollie Pearce scored after 10 seconds as York sealed a 4-0 win over Northampton. The City captain also bagged a second before Alex Hunt and Josh Stones completed the rout.
Jordan Thewlis’ stoppage-time penalty gave seventh-tier Guiseley a 1-0 win over Sutton at Nethermoor Park as Carlisle beat League Two leaders Salford 1-0. Ryan Graydon missed a penalty for the visitors before David Ajiboye’s goal just before the break proved enough to send the Cumbrians through.
Eighth-tier AFC Rushden + Diamonds slipped to a 4-0 defeat at Burton. Will Collar and Borges Rodrigues scored for the Brewers in the first half, with Charlie Webster and Zac Scutt adding two more late on.
Nathan Odokonyero scored twice as National League South Salisbury saw off seventh-tier Sholing 6-0 to take their place in round two for the first time since reforming in 2015.
