Roundup of the first round of 2025-26 FA Cup which saw plenty of cupsets and drama to kick off the proper stages of the competition.
This stage saw the successful Non-League qualifiers joined by League One and League Two clubs in a round which delivered plenty of drama from start to finish, so here is a roundup of all the action.
Non League vs EFL
Kain Adom and Fenton John fired Gateshead to a shock away victory at AFC Wimbledon in a 2-0 win at the League One opposition.
Regan Linney’s hat-trick saw Carlisle come from 2-0 down to snatch a shock 3-2 win at League One’s Reading, after Lewis Wing and Mark O’Mahony had put the Royals on course for victory under their new boss – Leam Richardson.
Matthew Rush, Zak Brunt and Abdul Abdulmalik fired Boreham Wood to a ruthless 3-0 win at home to League Two’s Crawley, as the visitors finished with ten men after Ryan Loft’s red card in first-half injury-time.
Matt Lowe’s header and Callum Stewart’s penalty saw Brackley twice come from behind in a 2-2 draw at home to Notts County, after Alassana Jatta and Jodi Jones had twice fired the Magpies in front, but the National League hosts prevailed 4-3 on penalties.
Marc Roberts netted a 91st-minute winner as Barnsley grabbed a 3-2 home win over York City, after Josh Stones and Mark Kitching levelled for the Minstermen either side of Davis Keillor-Dunn’s brace for the Tykes.
Gideon Kodua netted a 92nd-minute winner as Luton overcame Forest Green Rovers in a 4-3 thriller at home, after Mouhamed Fanne’s opener and Nakhi Wells’ brace put the Hatters in control before Thomas Knowles, Kyle McAllister and Aidan Dausch pulled the National League club level.
Anthony Scully’s brace and Tom Sang’s rebound effort saw Shrewsbury Town avoid a shock cupset away to South Shields in a 3-1 win, despite Luke Woolston’s consolatory screamer for the Mariners.
Ashley Fletcher fired in a 17th-minute winner as League One’s Blackpool avoided a cupset at home to Scunthorpe.
Tyrese Shade, Charlie Webster and Fabio Tavares all netted braces as Burton cruised past St Albans’ City in a 6-0 home win at the Pirelli Stadium.
Kylian Kouassi’s brace and James Brophy’s finish saw Cambridge claim a comfortable 3-0 win at home to Chester.
First-half goals from Daniel Andrew and Jayden Wareham saw Exeter avoid a cupset away at FC Halifax Town.
Danny Rose’s second-half brace and Cameron McJannet’s finish saw Grimsby come from behind to avoid a shock exit at home to Ebbsfleet with a 3-1 win, after Charlie Seaman put the National League side ahead at Blundell Park.
Elliot Newby and Kane Hemmings found the net as Barrow avoided a cupset at Spennymoor Town in a close contest.
Wigan saw off Hemel Hempstead 5-3 on penalties despite being a man down following Matt Smith’s red card, which allowed Joe White to equalise from the penalty spot to cancel out Callum Wright’s opener in a 1-1 draw.
Evan Weir’s sixth-minute opener fired Walsall to a routine 3-0 win at National League’s Eastleigh as Daniel Kanu and Jamille Matt wrapped up victory in the second half.
Ruari Paton and Devante Cole’s braces plus George Hall’s strike saw Port Vale come from behind to eliminate Maldon & Tiptree in a 5-1 win at Vale Park.
Charlie Canton netted a 95th-minute winner as Accrington Stanley claimed a 2-1 victory at Gainsborough Trinity in extra time, after Paddy Madden’s opener had been cancelled out by Sisi Tuntulwana’s second-half header.
Kennedy Digie’s 79th-minute own-goal proved enough for Leyton Orient to scrape past Tamworth in a competitive battle at The Lamb Ground.
EFL vs EFL
Quick-fire goals from Fabrizio Cavegn and Joel Cotterill saw Bristol Rovers snatch a dramatic 2-1 victory at Bromley, as Jemiah Umolu headed in his first goal for the Ravens before Omar Sowunmi’s 92nd-minute equaliser was bizarrely disallowed for an alleged offside by Michael Cheek.
Richard Taylor netted a 69th-minute winner as Bolton saw off Huddersfield 2-1 in an all third-tier clash, although Ibrahim Cissoko’s opener was cancelled out by the Terriers’ Bojan Radulovic.
League One promotion challengers, Bradford City suffered a shock exit at League Two’s Cheltenham as Isaac Hutchinson headed in a second-minute winner for the hosts.
Joe Tomlinson’s 87th-minute winner sealed a comeback win for MK Dons at Colchester, after Rushian Hepburn-Murphy twice equalised for the Dons either side of goals from Micah Mbick and Harry Anderson.
Second-half goals from Billy Sharp and Owen Bailey saw Doncaster complete a comeback 2-1 win at Crewe Alexandra, after Mickey Demetriou put the hosts ahead at half time.
Zech Medley and Harrison Holgate fired Fleetwood Town to a 2-1 victory at home to Barnet, despite Callum Stead’s last-gasp consolatory goal for the Bees.
George Maris’ brace and Regan Hendry’s fourth-minute opener saw Mansfield claim a 3-2 win at home against Harrogate, as Stephen Duke-McKenna and Anthony O’Connor struck second-half goals for the visitors.
Newport defeated Gillingham 4-3 on penalties after a 2-2 draw at Rodney Parade, in which Elliott Nevitt put the Gills ahead in normal time before Cameron Evans and Cameron Antwi turned the game around for the Exiles, until Seb Palmer-Houlden got a 118th-minute equaliser for the visitors.
Michael Mellon’s hat-trick saw Oldham defeat Northampton 3-1 at Boundary Park, despite Cameron McGeehan having denied the Latics a clean sheet in injury time.
Harry Leonard fired League One strugglers, Peterborough to a narrow home win over their fellow third-tier opposition, Cardiff City.
Darren Oldaker netted a 116th-minute winner as Swindon came from behind to knock out Rotherham 2-1 in extra time, after Oli Palmer cancelled out Samuel Nombe’s fifth-minute opener.
Salford defeated Lincoln City 4-3 on penalties at home after the pair played out a 1-1 draw as Kelly N’Mai netted a 93rd-minute equaliser for the hosts, following Erik Ring’s first-half goal for the Imps.
Stevenage suffered a 1-0 cupset at home to League Two’s Chesterfield as Lee Bonis netted a 61st-minute winner for the Spireites.
Cauley Woodrow’s brace saw Wycombe Wanderers clinch a 2-0 home victory over fellow third-tier rival, Plymouth, despite a late red card for Connor Taylor.
Oliver Norwood and substitute, Nathan Lowe fired Stockport County to a 3-1 victory at Tranmere, after Jack Diamond’s opener was cancelled out by Omari Patrick.
Non League vs Non League
James Waite fired Weston-super Mare to a comeback 2-1 extra-time win over Aldershot after Emlyn Lewis cancelled out Kiban Rai’s 21st-minute strike.
Quick-fire goals from Ansu Janneh and Wiktor Makowski saw National League South’s Slough Town upset National League’s Altrincham, despite James Gale’s consolatory effort for the fifth-tier club amidst a red card for Elliot Osborne.
Second-half goals from Paul Dawson, Rollin Menayese and Lewis Fensome saw Macclesfield claim a 6-3 home win over fellow sixth-tier opposition, AFC Totton, after Daniel Elliott produced a hat-trick in a first-half thriller in which Tony Lee’s initial equaliser and Scott Rendell’s brace left the tie level at half time.
Lyle Taylor’s brace plus goals from Jason Adigun and Jesurun Uchegbulam saw Chelmsford cruise to a 4-1 victory over ten-men Essex rivals, Braintree, in which John Akinde netted a 37th-minute penalty before Aidan Francis-Clarke was shown a late red card.
Connor Kirby’s 114th-minute extra-time winner saw Buxton end Chatham’s FA Cup dreams with a 2-1 comeback win at The Silverlands, in which Tate Campbell pulled the hosts level after Tope Fadahunsi put Chatham ahead immediately after half time.
David Ogbonna opened the scoring then set up Ashley Nadesan’s winner as Sutton beat AFC Telford 2-1 at home, after Ricardo Dinanga’s header handed the visitors futile hope of a comeback.
Ex Bromley player, Olufela Olomola snatched a 19th-minute winner as Wealdstone knocked out Southend United.
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