FA Cup Preliminary Round Matches and Reviews

By the Editorial Team · Monday, August 24, 2026

Blyth Spartans defeated Morpeth Town in the FA Cup Preliminary Round, with Olly Martin scoring twice and manager Marc Nash praising the team’s response after recent league setbacks. This victory boosts Blyth’s confidence and progression in the tournament while other Northern League sides experienced mixed results, including surprise upsets and narrow wins.

Blyth Spartans advanced in the FA Cup Preliminary Round by defeating local rivals Morpeth Town, with manager Marc Nash commending his team for applying lessons from recent league defeats. Olly Martin opened the scoring six minutes into the match, capitalizing on well-executed buildup play from Jack Foalle and Paul Van Zandvliet. Martin added a second goal just before halftime, establishing a comfortable lead. Morpeth Town’s former Spartans player Harry Gardiner reduced the deficit during injury time, but Blyth held on for the win.

Nash highlighted the importance of securing an early goal, noting the confidence it brought after the team had trailed in their previous three league games. He described their opening goal as a “great move” that set the tone for the match.

Elsewhere, Northern Premier League East side Ashington hosted Thornaby at Woodhorn Lane but were eliminated in a surprise outcome. Thornaby came from behind after falling behind early to Jamie Holmes’ goal. Ashington’s Spencer Walker equalized, and both teams exchanged goals before Jacob Thompson and Walker secured the victory for Thornaby, completing a notable upset.

Shildon registered a narrow 1-0 win over West Auckland Town at the Northern Metal Recycling Stadium, avenging their recent Northern League Division One play-off final defeat to the same opponents. Ben Reay scored the decisive goal.

Marske United also produced a shock by eliminating Consett with a 2-1 victory at Belle View. Despite an early goal by Consett winger Dom Joynes, Isaac Walker equalized for Marske, and Charlie Watt scored the winner for the Northern League side.

Bishop Auckland defeated Northern League rivals Crook Town with a strong performance at Millfield. John Howard’s early goal was complemented by two from striker Gary Martin, providing a clear win.

Knaresborough Town ended Easington Colliery’s recent strong form with a 2-1 comeback victory. While Liam Cooke gave Easington the lead, Knaresborough responded with goals from Jack Degruchy and Aaron White.

Dunston UTS secured a hard-fought win against Northern League Division One team Carlisle City thanks to goals from Will Shaw and Ben Ramsey. Meanwhile, Heaton Stannington was forced into a replay after a 2-2 draw at Kendal Town, with Leighton Hopper scoring a decisive penalty in stoppage time following an earlier goal by Cameron Gascoigne.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.