Three National League Sides Advance to Third Round

Six hundred and fifty-five non-league football clubs entered the FA Cup this year, from Alnwick Town, half an hour south of the Scottish border, to the Jersey Bulls, not far from the French coast.

After seven rounds of action, 11 teams from outside of the Football League remained, all of whom play their football within the three divisions of the Enterprise National League. Now that the FA Cup weekend is up, just three (four if Brackley Town beat Burton Albion tomorrow) non-league outfits will advance to the third round, with the prospect of a Premier League tie now a reality.

It’s Louis Britton’s World; We’re Just Living In It

Weston-super-Mare were the first to book their slot in the third round, thanks to a superb Louis Britton brace against Chelmsford City. The 24-year-old forward, who has formerly scored in the Championship for Bristol City, is having a spellbinding season on the Somerset Coast.

One of the top scorers in the National League South, his 11 league goals have aided the Seagulls’ early bid for the title, and now are fuelling a dreamy FA Cup run. His first of the day was certainly one to write home about. Dominic Bernard’s acutely chipped cross found the number nine flawlessly, setting him up for a volleyed finish Marco Van Basten would be proud of.

Louis Britton 😱💥

A stunning volley to secure @WSM_AFCOfficial's spot in the third round for the first time in their history 🤩 pic.twitter.com/PV7CLI0xL2

— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) December 6, 2025

It felt as if 138 years of history had led to this moment. Victory meant Weston-super-Mare progressed to the third round of the world’s oldest football competition for the first time in their existence. By doing so, the club also increased their winnings by £79,500, taking them well over six figures overall, huge numbers for a club functioning in the sixth tier of the pyramid.

Silkmen Sent Through In Style

Macclesfield’s story continues to warm the heart as the seasons go by. The previous iteration of the club was a Football League regular and had advanced to the third round of the FA Cup on multiple occasions, up until their liquidation in 2020. This included a trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea in the 2006/07 season, as well as home ties against Premier League teams Everton, Bolton, and Wigan in the following decade.

The first 90 minutes at Arbour Park, home of Slough Town, were nervy, as a win would result in either side progressing to the third round for the first time ever (a running theme this weekend). Slough themselves had reached the FA Cup second round nine times in the last six decades, failing to land that final blow on each occasion.

Two penalties later, and the stage was set for an additional 30 minutes. The Silkmen were the side to step up, courtesy of James Edmondson and Regan Griffiths, with a pair of sublime strikes to seal it for Macclesfield. The 600 fans who had travelled down from Cheshire burst into delirium as the air horns sounded in the away end. It is the first time the club have reached the third round since they were re-established.

Now that's what you call an unbelievable strike 😳🚀

James Edmondson restores Macclesfield's lead in extra time!

📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/vxBLvy4m7y

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 7, 2025

The Wood Advance, But Are No Stranger To A Fairytale

The majority will recall Boreham Wood reaching the last 16 of the FA Cup in the 2021/22 campaign. The Hertfordshire-based side had slain Bournemouth to reach that point and were awarded a trip to Everton. Therefore, it came as no surprise that the Wood were the only non-league club to knock out a Football League side at this stage.

Luke Garrard, who was in the dugout on those famous nights at the Vitality and Goodison Park, coached his team to a steady 3-0 victory against a Newport County side ranked at the bottom of the entire Football League.

On the volley 💫

Jeff King gets the breakthrough goal as Boreham Wood take the lead 🙌

📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/N65m8p6NoI

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 7, 2025

The Wood’s win wasn’t just another historic day for the club; it also raised the conversation once again on how the ‘3UP’ campaign should be taken seriously. Boreham Wood have often flirted with an elusive first-ever promotion to the EFL in recent history, and currently make up a bottleneck of clubs at the top of the National League, all gunning for a single automatic promotion spot.

Newport, on the other hand, look National League-bound and were outclassed by a club 5th in the league below them, highlighting how easily the Wood could replace them in the Football League.

An absolute battering against a dreadful team and an excellent argument for the #3UP campaign. https://t.co/8yzmK2ZhUU

— Ollie Davis (@Ollie_Davis) December 7, 2025

Around 88% of the clubs participating in the FA Cup come from outside of the top four tiers. They are the lifeblood of the English game and deserve representation. Both Chelmsford City (3,628) and Slough Town (2,500) broke their respective attendance records today, bringing invaluable gate, food and drink revenue into the club, as well as attention.

Viva la FA Cup!