Two Ryman Premier Division sides, Sutton United and Wealdstone, are through to the first round proper of the FA Cup and a third, Tooting & Mitcham United, will still be wondering how they failed to end their thirty-two-year wait to reach that stage o
It looked as if Tooting were set to travel to the Sussex coast for a Tuesday replay against Blue Square Premier side Eastbourne Borough as the game at Imperial Fields entered the closing minutes with the sides locked at 1-1.
Then Paul Vines triggered jubilant celebrations by giving the home side an 87th minute lead with his thirteenth goal of the season and when Simon Parker made it 3-1 just 2 minutes later it was all over. Or was it?
Somehow Eastbourne got themselves off the hook as Jamie Taylor and Ben Austin struck in added time and the Ryman Premier side will, after all, have to make the midweek trip down the A22.
Matt York had given the Terrors` the lead on the half-hour with Matt Crabb replying shortly before the interval.
There was also drama in added time for Lowestoft Town, the last Division One survivors, as Gary McGee struck to earn a 1-1 draw at Gloucester City.
Greg Crane’s 73rd minute own goal had given the Blue Square North side a 73rd minute lead and when Adam Smith’s free kick came back off the bar it looked as if the Suffolk side were on their way out.
Wealdstone’s victory at Aylesbury, the only Step 5 club to reach this far, came after the Molten Spartan South Midlands League side had taken a 2-0 lead in the first 12 minutes through Gareth Price and Craig Henney.
Greg Ngoyi pulled one back before half time and Stones went in front 9 minutes after the break thanks to Ryan Ashe and Kieron Forbes.
Ngoyi was sent-off midway through the half but Aylesbury could not profit from their extra man and Ashe completed the scoring in the 78th minute.
Sutton travelled to Hampton & Richmond Borough of Blue Square South, and were impressive 3-1 winners after some quickfire scoring in the second half.
Matt Hann’s 22nd minute goal was the only one until the hour-mark, when Craig Dundas put Hampton on terms.
Sutton produced a devastating response. Sam Gargan restored their lead within a minute and Alan Pouton added a penalty 5 minutes later to make sure.
The only Ryman side to go out of the competition on Saturday were Hendon, who crashed 5-0 at home to Woking.
The sight of the nearby Wembley Arch must have inspired the visitors as Guiseppe Sole struck twice in the first 20 minutes and Harry Arter added a third on the stroke of half time.
Any thoughts of a second half comeback were snuffed out when Arter scored again 3 minutes after the break and, shortly afterwards, Hendon skipper James Parker was sent-off.
Sole missed the resultant penalty and it was Arter who completed a hat-trick in the closing stages.
Blue Square South side Bromley caused an upset by ousting Blue Square Premier Ebbsfleet United 3-0 at Hayes Lane with goals from Jacob Erskine and a Warren McBean brace.
The all-Blue Square South clash between Dover Athletic and Eastleigh produced an eight-goal thriller and a dismissal for Dover player-manager Andy Hessenthaler.
Tony Taggart gave the visiting Spitfires an 11th minute lead that Ollie Schultz cancelled out on 26 minutes.
However, Taggart again and then Tom Jordan made it 3-1 to Eastleigh and Dover were staring a cup exit in the face. Andy Forbes and Richard Gillespie ensured they did, despite Lee Browning and Adam Birchall`s late penalty replies.
Blue Square Premier Gateshead made light work of Blue Square North Southport with goals from Phil Turnbull (2) and Craig Baxter.
Both sides played the second half with ten-men after Chris Swailes and `Port defender Rob Marsh-Evans were sent-off following a clash after the whistle had sounded for half time.
An all-Blue Square South tustle between Hayes & Yeading United and Staines Town was won by the visiting Swans, courtesy of a 30th minute Leroy Griffiths` effort, while Blue Square North Ilkeston Town caused an upset by ousting Blue Square Premier Tamworth 2-0 with goals from Josh Burge and David Graham.
In was a similar story at the Marston Stadium where Blue Square North also triumphed over Blue Square Premier, with Hinckley United beating Histon 2-1, thanks to a Stuart Giddings brace
And the all-Blue Square Premier encounter at Kenilworth Road went to form with Luton Town beating Grays Athletic 3-0.
Zamaretto League Division One South & West Paulton Rovers stormed through to the First Round Proper with an impressive 3-0 home win over Zamaretto Premier side Chippenham Town.
Rovers wrote their name into the record books by entering Monday`s First Round draw for the first time in their 128 year history in front of a crowd of 931 - they are the lowest ranked club left in the draw.
Ollie Pice headed the first goal from a Chris Lane cross in the 33rd minute.
Ben Lacey noted the second on the hour-mark with a brilliant individual effort and Rob Claridge hit a third in the 77th minute.
Zamaretto Premier Stourbridge had a resounding win at the ground of a UniBond Premier side for the second successive round with a 4-0 victory at Buxton in which Ryan Rowe and Sean Evans both bagged braces for the Glassboys.
Stourbridge`s league rivals Nuneaton Town also beat UniBond Premier opposition when they scored 4 minutes from time through Rob Foster to win 1-0 at home against Kendal Town.
Another Zamaretto Premier outfit, Oxford City, had to come from behind to dispose of Division One Midlands Bury Town with a goal in the penultimate minute from Andy Gunn giving them a 2-1 home win.
Earlier, Kieran Leabon had given the Blues an 18th minute lead that Mark Janes eventually cancelled out 20 minutes from time.
Blue Square North side Northwich Victoria enjoyed a 3-0 home win over UniBond Premier FC United of Manchester, whose fans boosted the crowd to a splendid 2,615.
Mark Danks broke the deadlock by giving Vics a 56th minute lead from the penalty spot and then an Adam Tong own goal 5 minutes from time virtually ended the game as a contest, although Wayne Riley did add a third for the home side in stoppage time.
Zamaretto Premier high-flyers Farnborough earned a replay at Blue Square Premier Salisbury City when they held the Whites to a goalless draw at Cherrywood Road, but Zamaretto Division One South & West hosts Mangotsfield United went out 2-1 at home to Blue Square Premier Forest Green Rovers
Zamaretto South & West side AFC Totton gave their hosts, Blue Square South Bath City, a scare when they scored twice in the final 10 minutes through Nathan Jack and Mark Whisken to cut the home side's advantage to 3-2.
Richard Evans, Adam Connolly and Gethin Jones had given City their three-goal cushion by the 47th minute.
