Dover beat Dorking to reach first round proper for first time since 2019

The fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup carved the sixth tier in two this weekend. For a handful of clubs, Monday's draw; for the rest, the slow grind of a National League North and South campaign that is barely a third old.

Dover Athletic produced the afternoon's most compelling story. Having drawn 1-1 with Dorking Wanderers at Crabble seven days earlier, Jake Leberl's side beat the same opponents 3-2 in front of 1,370 to reach the first round proper for the first time since 2019. Decarrey Sheriff scored twice, Jack Bates struck the opener from the edge of the box, and the Whites survived a second-half Dorking revival after Josh Barrett skied a first-half penalty. Marc White's side, who had hoped to reach that stage for the first time in their history, now return to league duty at Slough Town. Dover's reward is a home tie with Wealdstone.

In an all-National League North tie, Harborough Town beat bottom club Spennymoor Town 3-1 at the Beehive before 975, Dempsey Arlott-John, Britt Assombalonga and birthday boy Eliot Putman on the scoresheet. "It's a great achievement for the lads," said manager Mitch Austin. They go to Leyton Orient. Marine won at Hartlepool United, with 17-year-old James Potter the match-winner, and were handed Bradford City away. Salisbury and Oxford City also went through, the latter at Torquay United, and will face Sholing and Leicester City respectively. Macclesfield, Chorley and Spalding United were all held and must replay; so too Chesham United, whose goalless draw with Forest Green Rovers came days after the death of majority shareholder Roger Payne, with chairman Peter Brown writing that "non-league football has lost someone special".

Elsewhere the league ticked over. Ebbsfleet United hammered Weston-super-Mare 6-1, Kwesi Appiah completing his hat-trick inside 23 minutes. Maidstone United beat Maidenhead United 2-1, while Horsham won at Slough Town for the first time since August against ten men. Folkestone Invicta ended a seven-week wait for three points against AFC Totton, and Darlington, beaten at AFC Telford United, parted company with Steve Watson by mutual agreement, Terry Mitchell taking caretaker charge.