FA Cup weekend reshapes the National League North calendar

For one Saturday the National League North stopped worrying about the league table. Almost every club in the division was in second qualifying round action, and by Monday lunchtime the draw had rearranged October for all of them.

The weekend's most awkward result belonged to Hereford, beaten 3-2 at Stafford Rangers in front of 3,004 spectators. Manager Aaron Downes, who had insisted beforehand that attitude and mentality would decide it, reflected on the reverse alongside goalkeeper Theo Richardson. Southport also went out, losing 2-0 at Morecambe, where Paul Lewis and Isaac Buckley-Ricketts scored and goalkeeper Myles Boney was named man of the match. Hebburn Town were beaten 4-1 at home by Guiseley, and Radcliffe lost 3-2 at Marine with manager Frank Sinclair providing an honest assessment of the defeat.

The survivors did it in various ways. Chorley needed a stoppage-time penalty from Jack Sampson, retaken after the first was saved, to win 1-0 at Warrington Rylands with ten men following Jack Hazlehurst's dismissal. Harborough Town edged past Rushall Olympic 1-0 through Michael Jacobs, in a match that also marked Jutorre Burgess's return after 329 days out. Spennymoor Town won 4-0 at Emley, Scarborough Athletic 2-0 at Dunston on captain Will Thornton's 250th competitive appearance, and South Shields 7-0 against Witton Albion. Macclesfield came through 2-1 at Redcar Athletic, Buxton beat Ashton United 1-0, Spalding United saw off Hanley Town 2-0, Bedford Town knocked out King's Lynn Town 2-1, and Darlington and Chester also progressed. Merthyr Town were pegged back in stoppage time by Truro City and face a replay in Cornwall.

AFC Telford United and Worksop Town drew 2-2 at the SEAH Stadium, Matty Stenson and Louis Moult scoring for the hosts, Liam Waldock and Chae Whitman-Brown for the Tigers, with the replay at the KC Sofas Stadium on Tuesday and FC United of Manchester waiting for the winner.

The draw produced four all-Step 2 ties between division rivals: Buxton host South Shields, Spennymoor Town host Chester, Morecambe host Darlington, and Macclesfield welcome Scarborough Athletic.

Away from the cup, Brackley Town confirmed Gareth Dean's return to lead the first team until the end of the season, with Ali Worby and James Armson alongside him, after the board accepted Andy Whing's resignation.