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FA Cup round-up: Upsets, disrespect, and a goal in record time

Seventh-tier Wimborne reached the second round of the cup for the first time in their history [Getty Images] The FA Cup first round is always one of the most exciting weekends on the calendar, where the normal rules of football go out of the window and anyone can beat anyone.

✦ Extractive summary — built from the sources' own reporting•From 1 source•2 min read•Updated November 9, 2026, 12:32 PM UTC
Key points
  • Dorset club Wimborne play in the Southern League Premier Division South and were in the first round for only the second time but heaped more misery on manager-less and bottom of the league Crawley, despite the 57 places in the pyramid between them.
  • Kiddy have a long history of upsets - reaching the fifth round in 1994 and fourth in 2022 - and the way they dismissed League One side Doncaster Rovers through goals from Lewis Walker, Maz Kouhyar and David Davis felt almost effortless.
  • Ninth-tier Cray meanwhile were leading Stockport County 2-1 until the 81st minute and on the way to overturning a mammoth 113-team gap between the two, only for the League One promotion challengers to score an equaliser to take the game to extra time - where they scored again to seal the win.

This year proved no different with non-league teams pulling off wins against EFL opposition, a record-breaking goal scored and a match where the weather made it almost impossible to see what was actually going on.

Additional details
  • The only problem was a thick cloud of fog started to descend over the J Davidson Stadium towards the hour mark of the regular 90 minutes, and by the time penalties came around camera operators, commentators and fans could barely see a thing.
  • The tie at Brunton Park was much more of a seat-edge affair with Salford fresh from an eight-match winning run, although Carlisle clung on to win 1-0 after David Ajibioye grabbed the only goal late in the first half.
  • Non-league sides provide thrillers "It's going to take a bit to sink in," Wimborne Town manager Tim Sills said on TNT Sports after his side created their own piece of FA Cup history.
  • Grimsby Town needed penalties to overcome eighth-tier Stafford Rangers after a thrilling match ended 3-3 after extra time.
  • "It's a fantastic day for the players, the fans and the town - a really good day for us." Fellow National League side Carlisle United also knocked out an EFL side, beating League Two leaders Salford City at home.

How this summary was made: extractive summary — built from the sources' own reporting. It is drawn only from the reporting of the sources listed below — read the originals for full detail. How we summarize →

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