Danny Waldron stars as seventh-tier Alvechurch upset Cheltenham in FA Cup

Danny Waldron was the two-goal hero as seventh-tier Alvechurch pulled off an FA Cup first-round giant-killing by triumphing 2-1 at League One Cheltenham.

The Southern League Premier Central outfit, the lowest-ranked team in the first round, took the lead through Waldron’s 19th-minute finish, and he then struck again five minutes into the second half.

Cheltenham’s Ryan Jackson replied four minutes later, but Alvechurch were able to see out a famous victory.

Sixth-tier Chippenham also celebrated an upset against League One opposition after they won 1-0 at home against Lincoln thanks to Joe Hanks’ 44th-minute goal.

And Farnborough and King’s Lynn, two other sixth-tier teams, both produced shocks at League Two sides, beating Sutton 2-0 and Doncaster 1-0 respectively.

Farnborough scored twice late on via Michael Fernandes and Francis Amartey, and Gold Omotayo was the match-winner for the Linnets with an 83rd-minute header.

Other tier six teams registering eye-catching results were Ebbsfleet, who defeated National League Halifax 2-1 at home, and Weymouth, Fylde and Chelmsford, who all earned replays from ties against teams from higher leagues.

Weymouth held AFC Wimbledon to a 1-1 draw, Fylde secured the same result against Gillingham, and Chelmsford drew 1-1 at Barnet courtesy of a stoppage-time Charlie Ruff effort.

In two National League-League Two encounters, Chesterfield won 1-0 against Northampton and Solihull drew 2-2 with Hartlepool.

Meanwhile, League One leaders Plymouth were thrashed 5-1 at League Two Grimsby, and Argyle’s fellow third-tier side Wycombe also lost to a team from the division below, beaten 2-0 at home by Walsall.

Buxton are another sixth-tier outfit through after beating seventh-tier Merthyr 2-0, while two all-National League ties saw Boreham Wood advance with a 3-1 victory against Eastleigh and Dagenham win 1-0 at Maidenhead.

Other tier seven teams in action included Kevin Phillips’ South Shields, who were beaten 2-0 by Forest Green thanks to two goals from Connor Wickham, the second of which was struck from the halfway line, Kevin Horlock’s Needham Market, defeated 2-0 at Burton, and Coalville, who lost 4-1 at Charlton.

There was also no upsets for sixth-tier Taunton and Oxford City, going down 6-0 at MK Dons and 3-1 at Fleetwood respectively.

National League duo Gateshead and York were knocked out by Stevenage (3-2) and Shrewsbury (2-1).

Salford held Peterborough to a 0-0 draw at the West Homes Stadium, Barnsley won 2-1 at Bolton and Shaun Whalley scored a hat-trick as Accrington won 4-1 at Crawley.

Stockport thumped Swindon 4-0, Exeter won 3-2 at Port Vale, Newport beat Colchester 2-0 and Carlisle got past Tranmere 2-1.

There were also 1-0 wins for Manfield at Barrow, Harrogate at Bradford, Bristol Rovers against Rochdale and Crewe against Leyton Orient.