National League teams in the FA Cup: Which teams have performed the best?

National League teams have a tough task in reaching the latter stages of the FA Cup, but that has not stopped them from making history in the world's oldest national cup competition.

Fifth-tier clubs enter the competition in the fourth round of qualifying, which is one round before the first round proper. League One and League Two clubs enter in the first round of the competition, while Premier League and Championship teams enter in round three.

The FA Cup is famed for its upsets, and there are a host of Non-League clubs who have inflicted sizeable wounds on superior opposition. But who are the most successful National League sides in its history?

From giant killings to iconic runs, DAZN News looks back at some of the greatest FA Cup runs from National League teams.

Lincoln City reach FA Cup quarter-finals (2016-17)

Lincoln City were the first Non-League club to reach the quarter finals of the FA Cup in 103 years when they did so during the 2016-17 season.

The Imps narrowly overcame fellow National League side Guiseley 2-1 in the fourth round of qualifying before scraping past another division rival, Altrincham, defeating them 1-0 in the first round proper at the Sincil Bank.

It was in the second round when Danny Cowley's men turned up the drama to 100. Theo Robinson, who bagged a brace against Guiseley, replicated that feat against League One side Oldham Athletic, only for The Latics to stage a late comeback. Lincoln managed to hold on to book a place in the third round for the first time in six years.

More antics were on the menu when The Imps hosted Championship outfit Ipswich Town in the third round. Tom Lawrence and Lincoln goal machine Robinson both bagged braces, but it was Lawrence's second that meant the game ended 2-2 at Portman Road.

There was an emotional minute's applause in memory of former Lincoln manager Graham Taylor before the replay kicked off at Sincil Bank. Indeed, the home side performed admirably and delivered a performance Taylor would have been proud of by snatching a late 1-0 victory courtesy of a stoppage-time Nathan Arnold strike.

 

 

Cowley likened the chances of beating Brighton & Hove Albion in the fourth round to reaching the moon, but they matched Neil Armstrong's achievement in style. Despite going behind to the Championship leaders, Lincoln romped home to a 3-1 victory thanks to goals from Alan Power, Robinson and an own goal from Fikayo Tomori.

The Imps became the first National League outfit to reach the last eight of the competition since its inception in 1979, but faced FA Cup specialists Arsenal at Emirates Stadium. Indeed, the Gunners were a step too far for the Non-League history-makers, defeating them 5-0 on the day.

Sutton United defeat FA Cup holders Coventry City (1988-89)

While Sutton United had a simpler route to the latter stages of the FA Cup in the 1988-89 season, they pulled off one of the greatest results in the competition's history along the way.

In the fourth round of qualifying, The U's needed a replay to overcome Isthmian League outfit Walton & Hersham. The Swans fought admirably to draw 1-1 at Gander Green Lane, but Sutton were too hot to handle in the replay with a thumping 3-0 victory.

Barrie Williams' men then overcame further Isthmian League opposition in rounds one and two. The South West London club demolished Dagenham 4-0 before pipping Aylesbury Town 1-0, both away from home, to set up an encounter with title holders Coventry City in round three.

Coventry lifted the FA Cup for the first time in their history the season before, defeating Tottenham 3-2 after extra time in a Wembley thriller in front of an audience of 96,000. On paper, their title defence couldn't be any easier, given they were visiting a Non-League minnow.

Sutton, however, had other ideas.

The U's took the lead towards the end of the first half through a Tony Rains volley, only to be pegged back by a David Phillips goal shortly after the break. However, the home side were not to be written off and made history when Matthew Hanlan's volley sent them into the fourth round.

Sutton's victory was one of the only occasions a Non-League side has defeated a club from the highest tier, going down as one of the biggest giant killings in football history.

Unfortunately for Williams' soldiers, the fourth round was too much as they were dismantled 8-0 by a Norwich City side who had topped the First Division for much of the season. However, the U's team, consisting of bricklayers, assistant bank managers, insurance executives, a commodity broker and a sheet metal worker, did themselves more than proud.

Kidderminster Harriers reach round five (1993-94)

Kidderminster Harriers' 1993-94 campaign should have produced promotion on top of a roaring FA Cup run. However, despite topping the fifth tier at the end of the season, the West Midlands club could not be promoted as Aggborough Stadium failed to meet capacity requirements.

Sandwiched in the middle of a successful league campaign, The Harriers produced one of the greatest cup runs of any fifth-tier club, defeating some of England's most historic clubs along the way.

Graham Allner's men waltzed past Chesham United in the fourth round of qualifying, with Delwyn Humphreys bagging a brace. Kidderminster again won by a three-goal margin in the first round proper, this time thrashing league rivals Ketting Town 3-0 on home soil.

The Harriers snuck past fellow Conference side Woking 1-0 in the following round, teeing up a mammoth tie with First Division outfit Birmingham City in the third round.

While the Blues were expected to triumph at home, they had been struggling in the top tier. Still, nobody seriously expected them to fall to a Non-League team. Kidderminster were irresistible during the clash of the West Midlands clubs and came from behind to clinch a remarkable 2-1 victory thanks to goals from Neil Cartwright and Jon Purdie.

Allner's side were a banana skin that nobody wanted to be drawn against, but it was Preston North End who had the displeasure in round four. Indeed, they were just the latest team to succumb to The Harriers, falling to a 1-0 defeat at Aggborough.

Kidderminster gave Premier League outfit West Ham United everything they had in the fifth round of the competition and were unlucky to lose 1-0. Non-League side were denied a penalty that should have been given and had several chances, but could not find the finishing touch. Lee Chapman scored the only goal of the game to deny The Harriers a historic upset.

Crawley Town, Exeter City and Marine among honourable mentions

During the 2010/2011 season, Crawley Town enjoyed a stunning National League campaign by finishing as champions, and they accompanied that feat with a stellar FA Cup run.

The Red Devils defeated Newport County 1-0, Guiseley 5-0 and Swindon Town 3-2 (after a replay) to reach the third round of the competition. Steve Evans' men then pulled off one of the upsets of the round by beating Championship side Derby County 2-1 before toppling League Two's Torquay United. Crawley then narrowly lost 1-0 to Manchester United at Old Trafford, but it was a tremendous achievement by the National League champions.

Exeter City pulled off some fairly routine results during the 2004-05 FA Cup campaign, but it was their third-round clash with Man United that stole the headlines. The Grecians beat Braintree Town and Grimsby Town in the fourth round of qualifying and first round proper without conceding a goal. Then, a 2-1 win over Doncaster Rovers at St James' Park set up an encounter with the Red Devils at the Theatre of Dreams.

Against all odds, Alex Inglethorpe's side held Sir Alex Ferguson's men to a 0-0 draw before goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney secured a 2-0 victory in the replay.

One of the more recent and perhaps astonishing runs was by eighth-tier club Marine in the 2020-21 season. The Northern Premier League Division One North West outfit entered the competition in the preliminary rounds and beat five teams before the first round proper. The Mariners edged out Colchester United on penalties before beating Havant & Waterlooville 1-0 to set up a third-round clash with Tottenham.

The North London club romped to a 5-0 triumph, with striker Carlos Vinicius busting out the Kylian Mbappe celebration.

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