Replays pile up as National League South enters the FA Cup

There is no gentle way into the FA Cup at Step 2, and the second qualifying round proved it. Nine National League South clubs came away with a replay rather than a result, and Tuesday night's fixture list read like a league programme in disguise.

The cleanest afternoon belonged to Dover Athletic, who came from behind twice to beat Folkestone Invicta 4-2 in front of 2,342 at the Megger Community Stadium. Aaron Cosgrave and Alejandro Machado put Invicta ahead on each occasion; Jack Bates scored twice, Luke Baptiste curled in a third on his 200th appearance for the club, and Decarrey Sheriff converted a late penalty. Jay Saunders was blunt afterwards: "The second half was not good enough." Chesham United were similarly emphatic, beating Ware 7-2 with a second-half hat-trick from Dubem Eze and goals for Jayden Bennetts, Oliyide, Lafleur and St Clair-Burton. Salisbury put four past Taunton Town on Brian Dutton's 200th game in charge, Horsham won 3-0 at Walton & Hersham with debutant goalkeeper Michael Dike named man of the match, Ebbsfleet United won 3-1 at Maidenhead, Chelmsford City edged Canvey Island through Jack Barham, and Tonbridge Angels beat Ramsgate 2-1 on a day given over to the memory of their late chairman Steve Churcher.

For others, elimination came early. AFC Totton lost 2-0 at home to Gloucester City, Billericay Town went out 3-1 to Enfield Town, and Slough Town exited at Arbour Park.

The replays spread across Tuesday and Wednesday: Maidstone United and Cray Wanderers, Dorking Wanderers and Southall, Farnborough and Uxbridge, Farnham Town and Cirencester Town, Truro City and Merthyr Town, Weston-super-Mare at Wimborne Town, Hemel Hempstead at Wingate & Finchley, Dagenham & Redbridge against Waltham Abbey, and Hampton & Richmond Borough travelling to Crowborough after four goals and two red cards in the final quarter of an hour at Beveree.

Away from the cup, Dagenham signed Wiktor Makowski from Worthing and Remaye Campbell from Hemel Hempstead Town, both until the end of the season and both for undisclosed fees, while sending Stan Leech to Maidstone on a three-month loan. Slough signed right-back Jordan Thomas from Torquay United. Walton & Hersham appointed Neal Ardley as Director of Football. Dorking confirmed Harry Forster has ruptured his ACL and will miss the season.