FA Cup round-up: Chesterfield topple AFC Wimbledon, Grimsby stun Cambridge, Alvechurch & King's Lynn exit

  • By Owen Phillips
  • BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Armando Dobra's fourth goal of the season set Chesterfield on their way to victory

The FA Cup stormed back into the spotlight on Saturday with 15 second-round ties taking place.

Clubs from League One all the way down to Alvechurch in the Southern Premier Central Division battled for glory and the potential glamour of a money-spinning meeting with Premier League giants like Arsenal or Manchester City.

There were no thoughts of the World Cup as the minnows of seventh-tier Alvechurch took on League One Forest Green - one of six ties involving Non-League sides.

There was to be no fairytale outcome in that fixture, but Chesterfield will continue to fly the flag for those outside the EFL and they will be joined in the draw by Wrexham and Dagenham & Redbridge.

BBC Sport takes a look at the headlines from a typically fascinating day of action in the grand old competition of English football.

Lofty times as Spireites topple AFC Wimbledon

In-form National League Chesterfield could hardly have had a better day, running out comfortable 2-0 winners over their League Two hosts AFC Wimbledon to make round three.

Only 13 places separated the sides in the football pyramid but the Dons were unbeaten in 10 games and in fine fettle.

Armando Dobra's goal on the verge of half-time put the visitors ahead and they saw out a famous win with relatively little drama to earn a sixth consecutive victory in all competitions.

Dobra already has his heart set on even grander days in the third round.

"I support Manchester United, so United away would be good," he told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"It was a really really good performance. We dominated from the first minute to the end."

Elsewhere, Wrexham thumped sixth-tier Farnborough 4-1, while Dagenham & Redbridge are also in the draw after they were denied an upset win as League Two Gillingham secured a replay thanks to an injury-time equaliser.

Church prayers go unanswered as Rovers resist

Image source, Rex Features

Image caption, There was no upset as Forest Green held off Alvechurch, but the visitors did score the goal of the game

The lowest ranked side left in the competition, Southern Premier Central Division side Alvechurch, could not extend their sensational run as League One strugglers Forest Green Rovers - the partypoopers behind South Shields' exit in round one - held on for a home victory despite playing with 10 men for more than 20 minutes.

Hopes were high for the Worcestershire side when Jed Yeboah Abbey made it 1-1 with a fabulous free-kick that his non-related namesake Tony Yeboah would have been proud of - those of a certain age will hear the name Yeboah and still think of the former Leeds striker's seemingly weekly attempt to have all the top 10 goals in Match of the Day's goal of the season award.

But it was not meant to be as Rovers scored within two minutes through Josh March, the striker really proving a nuisance to his former side having also won a controversial first-half penalty.

Church boss Ian Long was proud of the run but "a little disappointed with the performance".

"Forest Green were the better side," he told BBC Hereford and Worcester.

"We struggled at times and I'm disappointed with the way that we conceded the second goal - we switched off at the back and we've been done in.

"If we could have just held on for a few minutes it could've given us a bit more energy and a little more polish on the ball. But we've let ourselves down."

Linnets have wings clipped

Image source, PA Media

Image caption, A coolly taken Luke Norris opener set Stevenage on the way to victory against King's Lynn

National League high-flyers King's Lynn saw their hopes of a dream third-round tie vanish at the hands of League Two promotion-chasers Stevenage.

A fascinating first half saw chances for both sides, a strong penalty claim apiece and respective managers Tommy Widdrington of Lynn and the ever-vocal Steve Evans of Stevenage kicking every ball on the touchline.

But the contest between two sides separated by 48 places in the football pyramid was settled in a breathless five-minute spell after the break by a Luke Norris double and a delicious Jamie Reid strike.

Evans said King's Lynn were "tremendous" in the first half and what he said at half-time "couldn't be repeated on the BBC".

Widdrington said he could hear Evans at half-time "absolutely tearing the wallpaper off".

The 'gentle encouragement' obviously worked.

The late show, the later show and the late-night Owls

Image source, Rex Features

Image caption, Otis Khan was the two-goal hero as Grimsby showed commendable resilience in their 2-1 victory over Cambridge

Late and even later drama led the way as League Two upset League One with two stunning results for the travelling fans of underdogs Grimsby Town and Stockport.

Grimsby led 1-0 going into the final 10 minutes at Cambridge United but seemed set for a replay when Sam Smith headed the hosts level, only for Otis Khan's 90th-minute strike - his second of the game - to earn a win which ensure all Mariners fans will be glued to their television for Monday's third-round draw.

"It feels good," said Mariners boss Paul Hurst. "It was deserved. We matched up well, played well and limited them to little."

Stockport topped that at The Valley, Myles Hippolyte heading home in the seventh minute of stoppage time to earn his side a 2-2 draw with Charlton and a second chance.

But there was late pain for another League Two side Mansfield, who led League One Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 for 44 minutes at Hillsborough, only to succumb to two late goals from Michael Smith.

There was no such drama for Barnsley though as they made serene progress with a 3-0 win over League Two Crewe Alexandra.

In the all League One ties, Oxford United hammered Exeter City 4-1, two-time winners Portsmouth edged MK Dons 3-2 while Hartlepool beat Harrogate 3-1 and Walsall pulled off a stunning late comeback with two goals in the closing minutes to knock out Carlisle 2-1 in the ties between League Two sides.