Roundup of the Second Round of 2023-24 FA Cup which delivered drama and cupsets.
Although this round represented a chance to progress and potentially earn a glamorous home tie against top-flight opposition, there were some drama prior to kick-off as two ties got postponed due to frozen pitches, whilst another tie was delayed due to a First Round investigation.
Maidstone United, Aldershot, Horsham and Ramsgate meanwhile were amongst Non League teams looking to spring a giant killing and book their spot in the Third Round.
Now, here is a full roundup of all the Second Round action starting with those Non League clubs who looked to keep their FA Cup dreams alive.
Non League vs EFL
Paul McCallum’s brace saw National League’s Eastleigh stun struggling Reading 2-1 at Ten Acres, despite Femi Azeez’s 86th minute equaliser for the Royals.
Bivesh Gurung rifled in a 74th minute winner as Maidstone United came from behind to cupset League Two’s Barrow, after Sam Corne cancelled out Ben Whitfield’s opening goal.
Idris El Mizouni’s own-goal saw Chesterfield snatch a narrow home win over League One’s Leyton Orient.
Josh Stokes’ brace saw Aldershot scrap their way to a 2-2 draw at home to League Two’s Stockport County, before Olly Scott netted a 88th minute winner for the National League team in the replay.
Daniele Collinge earned Barnet a home replay after he cancelled out Shane McLouglin’s goal as the Bees held Newport to a 1-1 draw, but Collinge then scored an own-goal to gift the Exiles an eventual 4-1 win in the replay.
Dion Pereira’s second-half brace and Omari Patrick’s late strike saw Sutton avoid a cupset at home to seventh-tier Horsham.
Stephen Humphrys netted a 61st minute winner as Wigan avoided a cupset away at National League North’s York City in difficult conditions.
Oliver Palmer, Andrew Cannon and Sam Darby netted for Wrexham in a 3-0 home win over National League South’s Yeovil.
Ali Al-Hamadi struck twice as AFC Wimbledon ended Ramsgate’s fairytale run with a 5-0 win at Plough Lane, with Jake Reeves, Joshua Neufville and Connor Lemonheigh-Evans also on the scoresheet.
Jamille Matt scored a sixth minute winner as Walsall beat Alfreton in a replay, after the original tie at North Street finished goalless in a rearranged fixture just days after the initial match was postponed just prior to kick-off due to a frozen pitch.
EFL vs EFL
Grimsby’s hopes of repeating last season’s run to the last eight was ended with a 2-0 defeat at Oxford United, as Marcus McGuane and Billy Bodin netted for the hosts.
Quick-fire goals from Macauley Bonne and Timothee Diend saw League Two’s Gillingham stun League One’s Charlton 2-0 at Priestfield.
Eli King and Tom Bloxham netted for Morecambe in a surprise 2-0 win at League One’s Wycombe Wanderers.
Ryan Bowman’s hat-trick saw Shrewsbury knock out Notts County in a 3-2 away thriller at Meadow Lane, despite Richard Brindley and James Sanderson’s goals for the hosts.
Funso-King Ojo rescued Port Vale a 1-1 draw at Stevenage before Kane Hemmings and Nathan Thompson dragged the Boro back from the brink twice in an eventual 3-3 draw in the replay at Vale Park, which ultimately went Stevenage’s way 4-3 following the penalty shootout.
Jon Dahl Bodvarsson’s hat-trick and Dan Nlundulu’s brace saw Bolton Wanderers comfortably dispatch Harrogate 5-1 at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.
Harrison Burrows and Ephron Mason-Clark netted for Petersborough in a 2-1 home win over Doncaster Rovers, with Modou Faal having scored the visitors’ consolatory goal.
Danny Andrew’s free-kick plus quick-fire goals from Elias Kachunga and Fejiri Okenabirhie in the opening 13 minutes fired Cambridge past League One rivals, Fleetwood Town in a 4-0 home win, which was wrapped up by Gassan Ahadme in the 83rd minute.
Owen Dale, Jordan Lawrence-Gabriel and Marvin Ekpiteta all scored for Blackpool in a 3-0 home win over Forest Green Rovers, after the fixture had been delayed two-and-a-half weeks due to a First Round ineligibility investigation which involved Forest Green.
Antony Evans produced a goal and assist as Bristol Rovers thrashed Crewe Alexandra 4-2 at Gresty Road after their initial meeting was postponed, due to a frozen pitch.
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