DOMINANT DAN LIFTS BOATMEN
DAN Mason continued his remarkable scoring spree as Wessex League Sholing defied the odds to secure a replay against Slough Town.
The Boatmen looked sunk when their National League South hosts went 2-0 ahead on their 3G pitch thanks to goals from Ben Harris and James Dobson, who scored from the penalty spot.
But the former FA Vase winners are made of stern stuff and responded before the break when Mason found the target against a team three divisions higher.
It was no surprise he was the one to stun Slough given he had scored his 150th goal in his 333rd appearance for Sholing in the 7-0 midweek drubbing of Newport (IOW) in the Hampshire Senior Cup.
Mason was not finished either at Arbor Park and grabbed his 16th of the season to make it 2-2 and put Sholing in the hat for the third qualifying round draw.
It is a tricky trip for Slough side that reached the second round last season and went down 4-0 at home to Rochdale in front of the TV cameras.
Elsewhere two other Step 5 teams went out at the hands of National League South sides with Brantham Athletic losing 1-0 at home to Eastbourne Borough while Oxford City dismantled Cray Valley Paper Mills 5-0.
Zac McEachren scored a hat-trick in the latter as the three-division gap between the sides was all too apparent from an early stage .
Cray Valley, celebrating their centenary season, had a delayed journey because of jams on the M25 and that seemed to unsettle them on this historic day for the club.
But they have made some decent money from their Cup run and that can only help them in their drive to progress up the ladder.
The FA Cup was on display at Brantham and the Eastern Counties side, who had not conceded a goal in their previous rounds, gave a defiant display in front of an enthusiastic crowd.
Goalkeeper Luke Avenell made a string of fine saves before being finally beaten by a goal from substitute Yemi Odubade.
National League South East Thurrock United looked home and dry against Whitehawk after going into a 2-1 lead but their lower-division opponents hit back to win 3-2 with Jason Williams scoring a brace.
Bath City had no such problems against Banbury United with Ross Stearn getting both goals against their Southern League Central foes.
Ramsgate chalked up a 3-2 win at Gosport Borough, who play a league above them, and fellow Step 4 sides Didcot Town and AFC Sudbury secured home replays against Hitchin Town and Bognor Regis respectively.
Kyron Lightfoot scored twice for Ramsgate to floor the home side, who had started the season in decent form after a difficult campaign last year
Meanwhile Didcot continued their fine FA Cup form with a 1-1 draw at Hitchin – Brett Gardner scored the equaliser – after reaching the first round proper a few years back when they entertained Exeter in front of the TV cameras.. Southern League Beaconsfield, another club who have made remarkable progress in recent years, despatched FC
Romania 2-0 with Tre Mitford and Jordan Ajanlekoko the scorers. League rivals Tiverton Town overcame Dorchester 2-0 while Poole Town were comfortable 30 winners against Cinderford.
Step 4 trio Kempston Rovers, Moneyfields and Cirencester Town all marched on while Needham Market forced a replay against Met Police.
A goal from Harlem Sambu was enough to give
Kempston victory over Marlow while Felipe Barcelos grabbed the winner for Moneyfields at Hayes & Yeading. Cirencester had a comfortable 3-0 victory at Step 5 Binfield, while Needham Market forced a home replay against Met Police.