Telford dare to dream

Cup round-up

Telford and Accrington Stanley of the Nationwide Conference found the non-League Holy Grail of a possible FA Cup third-round tie at Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge or Highbury yesterday when they pulled off the giant-killing acts of the second round.

Christian Moore was the toast of Telford as he scored all the goals in their 3-0 defeat of Second Division Brentford. Moore's hat-trick started with a goal in the 26th minute. In the second half, after Ibrahima Sonko had been sent off, Moore saw his spotkick saved but was first to the loose ball to make it 2-0 after 58 minutes. Ten minutes from the end, Moore kept his nerve and made no mistake with a second penalty to seal Telford's place in the draw.

Accrington led Bourne-mouth at Dean Court when Paul Mullins scored in the ninth minute, but the Cherries salvaged some pride, and a long trip north for a replay, from Marcus Browning's equaliser just before the hour.

The narrowest escape from a giant-killing came at Glanford Park, where Third Division Scunthorpe United led Sheffield Wednesday, of the Second Division, 2-0 with six minutes to go after two Steve Torpey strikes - an opportunist's pounce on a weak back-header and a follow-up after Matthew Sparrow hit a post. But late goals from Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu and Grant Holt earned the Owls, FA Cup finalists a mere 10 years ago, a second chance.

Second Division Notts County emerged from 18 months in administration last week and celebrated with a 2-1 win at Gravesend & Northfleet. The Conference side led 1-0 at half-time, but Nick Fenton equalised, Gravesend's Paul Gibbs was sent off and Clive Platt scored the injury-time winner.

Aldershot, currently engaged in a seemingly inexorable climb back to League status, put Conference priorities on the back-burner and gave Colchester, going well in the Second Division, a fright at Layer Road. But Rowan Vine scored seven minutes from time as Colchester squeezed through 1-0.

A few seasons ago Stevenage Borough, of the Conference, were giving Newcastle United an FA Cup examination, and yesterday gave Third Division Swansea City a few problems at Vetch Field. Anthony Elding's 14th goal of the season had got Borough back to 1-1, but Lee Trundle struck and the Swans won 2-1.

Kidderminster Harriers and Yeovil Town, Conference sides in 2000 and 2003 respectively, found the giant-killing boot on the other foot but both overcame potential hazards. Dean Bennett scored twice as Harriers won 3-0 at Woking, while at Huish Park, Yeovil's Gavin Williams netted twice in the Glovers' 5-1 defeat of Barnet.

A further step down the ladder from the Conference, things went well for Weston-super-Mare, of the Dr Martens Premier, for about half an hour at Third Division Northampton Town. Then Mark McKeever handled and was sent off, the Cobblers' Martin Smith tucked away the penalty, and Marc Richards added two late goals in Northampton's 4-1 win.

Elsewhere, results by and large went with League status as Third Division Rochdale lost 2-0 at home to Luton Town, of the Second.

Also through to this afternoon's third-round draw are Cheltenham, who beat Leyton Orient 3-1, and Southend, 3-0 winners over Lincoln. Scott Taylor scored a hat-trick, taking his season's tally to 20, in Blackpool's 5-2 win at Oldham and Peterborough beat Grimsby 3-2. Finally, Bristol City and Barnsley shared a goalless draw and Macclesfield and Cambridge United ended 1-1.