FA Trophy round-up | Pontefract, Matlock and Bootle big winners as five ties go to penalties

There were seven different players on the scoresheet for Jimmy Williams’ side at the Ruby Civil Arena, who march into the next round having scored 15 goals without reply in their last two cup games.

With a comprehensive display of their own at the Cleric Stadium, hosts Congleton Town brushed aside NPL West Division rivals Atherton Collieries 4-1. 

Goals from Dylan Scott and Kieran Knapper gave the Bears a two-goal cushion at the break, before captain Darren Chadwick’s penalty and Theo Knight’s emphatic finish rounded off the performance. 

Liam Sheppard headed home 15 minutes from time to start a possible comeback, but it wasn’t to be for Danny Lafferty’s side.

Also winning handily were Lower Breck, who defeated North Ferriby 4-0 on home turf, while Matlock Town and Bootle both won 5-0 on the road against Lichfield City and Liversedge respectively. 

The result at Brownsfield Road continues a horror start to the season for Lichfield, who have lost their first four fixtures in the NPL West Division.

A more surprising result occurred at Clayborn, where NPL East Division leaders Liversedge were thumped by high-flying Bootle - who sit second in the NPL West with three successive victories. 

Anthony Miley opened the scoring in the 28th minute, before forward Ben Hodkinson stole the headlines with four goals to complete a resounding victory for the Bucks.

Following goalless draws with Basford United and St Ives Town respectively, Bedworth United and Boldmere St Michaels edged into the next round courtesy of penalty shootout triumphs.

The same can be said for Hallam, who won 5-3 on penalties against Mossley following a dramatic 3-3 draw. It was a first victory of the season for the Countrymen, who sit bottom of the NPL East Division with one point from five matches.

Despite going 1-0 up through an early Rio Molyneux strike in front of their home fans, Lincoln United were agonisingly dumped out by Nuneaton Town. 

The visitors drew level with a James Harrison strike in the 90th minute, before completing the comeback with a 4-2 triumph on penalties.

Continuing their own brilliant start to 2026/27, Shifnal Town beat Rugby Borough 4-2 at the Acoustafoam Stadium. 

Connor Patterson’s side built on the momentum of four successive league victories in the NPL West Division, where they sit top, in another brilliant display here. 

The hosts surged into a 3-0 lead against their NPL Midlands Division opponents, who fought back valiantly with a pinpoint free-kick and clinical strike to claw the deficit back to one. 

Any hopes of a late comeback, however, were dashed when Shifnal forward Andre Landell scored their fourth to seal victory. 

Elsewhere on Saturday, Shepshed Dynamo won a battle of two NPL Midlands Division clubs away at Carlton Town. 

A final score of 3-2 somewhat flattered the hosts, who trailed 3-0 in stoppage time before late strikes from Abdul Bakere and Niall Davie cut the deficit. 

Dynamo had surged ahead with goals from Jack Butterhill, Reuben Wyatt and Declan Peart in a quality display at the Bill Stokeld Stadium. Both sides meet again in the league on Bank Holiday Monday as Carlton seek to exact their revenge, this time at the Dovecote Stadium. 

Finally, trailing 2-1 with five minutes of regulation time to play, Guisborough Town completed probably the comeback of the weekend with a 3-2 victory against Ossett United. 

Connor Simpson’s first goal for the Priorymen brought them level in the 85th minute, but it was an unbelievable own-goal from Toluwani Osiyemi’s cross that settled the tie deep into stoppage time. That sparked jubilant celebrations amongst the home fans, who surely believed penalties were coming. 

Results - FA Trophy first qualifying round

Ashington 3-1 West Auckland Town

Basford United 0-0 Bedworth United (Bedford United win 3-1 on penalties)

Blyth Spartans 2-0 1874 Northwich

Boldmere St Michaels 0-0 St Ives Town (Boldmere St Michaels win 5-4 on penalties) 

Boston Town 1-2 Nantwich Town

Carlton Town 2-3 Shepshed Dynamo

Chasetown 3-1 AFC Rushden & Diamonds

Congleton Town 4-1 Atherton Collieries

Corby Town 0-2 Stafford Rangers

Garforth Town 2-2 Bridlington Town (Bridlington Town win 5-4 on penalties)

Grantham Town 1-3 Mickleover

Grimsby Borough 0-1 Dunston

Guisborough Town 3-2 Ossett United

Hanley Town 2-0 Coleshill Town

Heaton Stannington 0-1 Wythenshawe

Kidsgrove Athletic 3-1 Coventry United

Lichfield City 0-5 Matlock Town

Lincoln United 1-1 Nuneaton Town (Nuneaton Town win 4-2 on penalties)

Liversedge 0-5 Bootle

Loughborough Students 1-0 Barwell

Lower Breck 4-0 North Ferriby

Morpeth Town 2-0 Witton Albion

Mossley 3-3 Hallam (Hallam win 5-3 on penalties)

Newcastle Town 0-3 Bourne Town

Padiham 0-7 Pontefract Collieries

Prescot Cables 4-1 Vauxhall Motors

Shifnal Town 4-2 Rugby Borough

Silsden 3-2 Consett

Stalybridge Celtic 2-1 Bradford (Park Avenue)

Stocksbridge Park Steels 1-2 Runcorn Linnets

Wellingborough Town 2-1 Belper Town

Worcester Raiders 1-2 Sutton Coldfield Town

*Bold signifies Northern Premier League team