FA Cup Review: Altrincham heap misery on Barnsley, Blackpool dumped out by Barnet

It was a miserable day for League One’s struggling sides in the FA Cup as the bottom five were all dumped out in the first round.

Barnsley, Blackpool, Fleetwood Town, Crewe Alexandra and Swindon Town were beaten, the latter going down 3-1 at Rochdale in Martin Ling’s first game at the helm.

Elsewhere on Saturday there were contrasting fortunes for three former winners of the competition, with Coventry City losing 2-1 to Northampton Town and Wigan Athletic thrashed 4-0 at Bury, but Portsmouth overcame Macclesfield Town 2-1.

Lee Johnson – who has suffered seven consecutive league defeats in charge of Barnsley – felt the pressure rise further on his shoulders in a 1-0 reverse at Altrincham, whose fellow National League sides Barnet and Eastleigh accounted for Blackpool and Crewe respectively.

Fleetwood’s defeat at least came at the hands of another third-tier side, with League One leaders Walsall triumphing 2-0 at the Bescot Stadium.

Ling was not the only manager to endure a losing start in the dugout, with Jackie McNamara’s York City beaten 3-2 at Accrington Stanley. 

Carlisle United returned from the lengthy journey to Plymouth Argyle with a place in round two as a brace of first-half goals got the job done for Keith Curle’s side.

Northern Premier League outfit Barwell were edged out 2-0 by Welling United, but a few non-League sides were on the receiving end of a drubbing as Wealdstone lost 6-2 to Colchester United, St Albans were beaten 5-1 at Grimsby Town, and Staines Town went down 6-1 at Leyton Orient.

National League leaders Forest Green helped to fly the flag for non-League football, though, as they beat League Two AFC Wimbledon 2-1 courtesy of Elliott Frear’s last-gasp strike, while Barwell’s league rivals Stourbridge remain in the hat following a 2-1 win at Dover Athletic.