2003–04 FA Cup qualifying rounds


The 2003–04 FA Cup qualifying rounds opened the 123rd season of competition in England for 'The Football Association Challenge Cup', the world's oldest association football single knockout competition. A total of 644 clubs were accepted for the competition, up 20 from the previous season’s 624.
The large number of clubs entering the tournament from lower down in the English football pyramid meant that the competition started with six rounds of preliminary and qualifying knockouts for these non-League teams. South Western Football League was the only level 10 league represented in the Cup, four clubs from the South Western Football League were the lowest-ranked clubs in competition. The 32 winning teams from Fourth qualifying round progressed to the First round proper, where League teams tiered at Levels 3 and 4 entered the competition.

Extra preliminary round

Matches played on Saturday/Sunday 23 to 24 August 2003. 130 clubs from Level 8, Level 9 and Level 10 of English football, entered at this stage of the competition, while other 217 clubs from levels 8-10 get a bye to the preliminary round.
TieHome team ScoreAway team '
1Skelmersdale United 7–2Glasshoughton Welfare 71
2Brodsworth Miners Welfare 0–1Pickering Town 90
3St Helens Town 0–2Trafford 182
4Garforth Town 0–3Whickham 87
5Holker Old Boys 1–0Penrith
6Colne 2–3Mossley 100
7Norton & Stockton Ancients 0–2Evenwood Town 117
8Ossett Albion 5–2Alnwick Town 94
9Washington Nissan 1–2Jarrow Roofing BCA 54
10Shotton Comrades 1–4Newcastle Blue Star 35
11Dunston Federation Brewery 1–0Abbey Hey 121
12Eccleshill United 1–2Warrington Town 49
13Oldham Town 3–2Northallerton Town 73
14Fleetwood Town 1–0Darwen 103
15Blackstones 1–4Gedling Town 78
16Holbeach United 1–1Staveley Miners Welfare
replayStaveley Miners Welfare 3–2Holbeach United -
17Carlton Town 0–3Shirebrook Town 87
18Lincoln Moorlands 1–0Arnold Town 65
19Nantwich Town 1–2Stratford Town 80
20Cradley Town 2–0Daventry Town 65
21Maldon Town 4–1Holmer Green
22Stotfold 1–2London Colney 67
23Wroxham 4–1Halstead Town 126
24Brentwood 0–2Haringey Borough 73
25Kingsbury Town 1–2Stowmarket Town 48
26Harpenden Town 6–1Woodbridge Town 65
27Needham Market 0–3Norwich United 79
28Romford 0–2Bury Town 166
29Tiptree United 0–1Cogenhoe United 92
30Northampton Spencer 2–2Desborough Town 76
replayDesborough Town 4–2Northampton Spencer -
31Broxbourne Borough V&E 0–2Yaxley 26
32Mildenhall Town 2–1Ilford 103
33St Margaretsbury 0–0Henley Town 46
replayHenley Town 0–3St Margaretsbury -

TieHome team ScoreAway team '
34Bedford United & Valerio 1–0Harefield United 32
35Southend Manor 1–1Buckingham Town 30
replayBuckingham Town 4–1Southend Manor -
36Ruislip Manor 2–2Ely City 32
replayEly City 0–2Ruislip Manor -
37Hadleigh United 0–1Wootton Blue Cross 72
38Brackley Town 2–1Hullbridge Sports 75
39Royston Town 0–3Ford Sports Daventry 85
40Great Yarmouth Town 4–1Southall Town 271
41St Leonards 1–4Arundel 127
42Thatcham Town 6–0Selsey 88
43East Preston 2–3Andover 124
44Walton Casuals 5–0Westfield 78
45Brockenhurst 2–3VCD Athletic 59
46Wokingham Town 2–0Chertsey Town 136
47Chichester City United 4–1Tunbridge Wells 115
48Sandhurst Town 2–1Camberley Town 106
49Didcot Town 2–1Ramsgate 131
50Saltdean United 0–4Cray Wanderers 104
51Bedfont 4–0Littlehampton Town 54
52Horsham YMCA 3–3Gosport Borough 105
replayGosport Borough 1–0Horsham YMCA -
53Eastbourne United Association 1–0Lordswood 102
54BAT Sports 3–1Cobham 109
55Carterton Town 1–0Hungerford Town 64
56Lancing 0–3Whitehawk 94
57AFC Totton 3–0Erith Town 68
58Reading Town 1–2Lymington & New Milton 56
59Barnstaple Town 2–3Exmouth Town 126
60Highworth Town 3–1Shortwood United 85
61Frome Town 1–0Tuffley Rovers 96
62Shepton Mallet 0–1Falmouth Town 126
63Minehead Town 2–1Liskeard Athletic 94
64Devizes Town 0–4Christchurch 101
65Chard Town 0–3Paulton Rovers 58

Preliminary round

Matches played on weekend of Saturday 30 August 2003. A total of 396 clubs took part in this stage of the competition, including the 65 winners from the extra preliminary round, 217 clubs from Levels 8-10, who get a bye in the extra preliminary round and 114 entering at this stage from the five divisions at Level 7 of English football. The round featured three clubs from Level 10 still in the competition, being the lowest ranked clubs in this round.

First qualifying round

Matches on weekend of Saturday 20 September 2003. A total of 198 clubs took part in this stage of the competition, all having progressed from the Preliminary round. St Blazey from the South Western Football League at Level 10 of English football were the lowest-ranked club to qualify for this round of the competition.
TieHome team ScoreAway team
50Wingate & Finchley 3–1Raunds Town 107
51Mildenhall Town 1–6Histon 168
52AFC Wallingford 2–0Ipswich Wanderers 137
53Berkhamsted Town 0–9AFC Sudbury 376
54Chesham United 2–0Yaxley 202
55Wroxham 2–2Flackwell Heath 163
replayFlackwell Heath 1–0Wroxham
56East Thurrock United 2–1Staines Town 140
57Wivenhoe Town 2–3Soham Town Rangers 124
58Boreham Wood 2–1Maldon Town 121
59St Margaretsbury 2–2Leighton Town 83
replayLeighton Town 0–1St Margaretsbury
60Haverhill Rovers 1–2Burnham Ramblers 230
61King's Lynn 2–2Stewart & Lloyds Corby 871
replayStewart & Lloyds Corby 0–3King's Lynn
62Enfield 4–0Witham Town 99
63Whitchurch United 0–3Tooting & Mitcham United 156
64Raynes Park Vale 0–2Folkestone Invicta 120
65Lymington & New Milton 1–0Erith & Belvedere 133
66Cray Wanderers 4–1Sandhurst Town 129
67Deal Town 1–2Leatherhead 170
68Ashford Town (Kent) 1–1Bromley 427
replayBromley 1–0Ashford Town (Kent)
69Tonbridge Angels 1–1Lewes 617
replayLewes 2–1Tonbridge Angels
70Hillingdon Borough 1–1Oxford City 85
replayOxford City 2–1Hillingdon Borough
71Chessington & Hook United 1–4Thamesmead Town 123
72Slough Town 2–0Godalming & Guildford 319
73Metropolitan Police 2–3Winchester City 180
74Fareham Town 1–2Newport (Isle of Wight) 210
75Hythe Town 3–1Alton Town 136
76Burgess Hill Town 2–1Abingdon United 220
77Thame United 4–2VCD Athletic 145
78Worthing 4–1Walton Casuals 390
79Dartford 3–0Peacehaven & Telscombe 284
80Sittingbourne 1–0Whyteleafe 267
81Andover 5–0Arundel 278
82Abingdon Town 4–3Ringmer 88
83Bracknell Town 3–2Hartley Wintney 154
84Three Bridges 1–2Fleet Town 129
85Croydon Athletic 7–1Bedfont 142
86AFC Totton 1–3Didcot Town 94
87Maidstone United 4–0Cowes Sports 350
88Clevedon United 4–1Frome Town 141
89Paulton Rovers 2–0Bemerton Heath Harlequins 133
90Gloucester City 0–0Team Bath 377
replayTeam Bath 0–2Gloucester City
91Christchurch 2–3Westbury United 103
92Mangotsfield United 4–3Bridport 229
93Cirencester Town 2–1Swindon Supermarine 188
94Corsham Town 1–2Brislington 160
95Salisbury City 4–1Taunton Town 551
96Exmouth Town 2–2St Blazey
replaySt Blazey Exmouth Town
97Hallen 1–2Highworth Town 84
98Backwell United 1–4Wimborne Town 49
99Welton Rovers 3–3Bishop Sutton 70
replayBishop Sutton 1–0Welton Rovers -

Second qualifying round

Matches played on weekend of Saturday 27 September 2003. A total of 168 clubs took part in this stage of the competition, including the 99 winners from the first qualifying round and 69 Level 6 clubs, from Premier divisions of the Isthmian League, Northern Premier League and Southern Football League, entering at this stage. The round featured eleven clubs from Level 9 still in the competition, being the lowest ranked clubs in this round.
TieHome team ScoreAway team '
1Frickley Athletic 0–0Shildon 253
replayShildon 5–1Frickley Athletic 664
2Whitby Town 3–0Winsford United 282
3Runcorn Halton 3–0Guiseley 234
4Droylsden 2–2Burscough 151
replayBurscough 1–2Droylsden 166
5Pickering Town 0–1Ossett Albion 258
6Vauxhall Motors 3–1Southport 492
7Dunston Federation Brewery 1–1Fleetwood Town 165
replayFleetwood Town 1–2Dunston Federation Brewery 185
8Bridlington Town 2–2Farsley Celtic 359
replayFarsley Celtic 3–0Bridlington Town 182
9Stocksbridge Park Steels 3–2Brandon United 139
10Ashton United 1–1Hyde United 446
replayHyde United 1–2Ashton United 489
11Blyth Spartans 3–0Bamber Bridge 464
12Marine 3–1Rossendale United 332
13Chester-le-Street Town 0–2Bradford (Park Avenue) 201
14Maltby Main 2–3Ashington 121
15Barrow 2–0Harrogate Town 1,250
16Lancaster City 2–0Altrincham 489
17Gainsborough Trinity 6–0Skelmersdale United 376
18Witton Albion 0–1Wakefield & Emley 348
19Guisborough Town 2–2Stalybridge Celtic 205
replayStalybridge Celtic 3–1Guisborough Town 305
20Chorley 5–0Whickham 239
21Radcliffe Borough 2–1Oldham Town 294
22Spennymoor United 0–2Warrington Town 202
23Gedling Town 1–0Alfreton Town 280
24Newcastle Town 2–1Sutton Coldfield Town 107
25Cambridge City 3–1Ilkeston Town 294
26Hednesford Town 0–2Bromsgrove Rovers 570
27Rothwell Town 0–1Bedford Town 410
28Stafford Rangers 1–2Grantham Town 797
29Redditch United 1–1Shirebrook Town 337
replayShirebrook Town Redditch United 340
30Spalding United 1–2Halesowen Town 393
31Stamford 0–3Kettering Town 862
32Hucknall Town 1–1Congleton Town 447
replayCongleton Town 3–2Hucknall Town 290
33Soham Town Rangers 0–2Histon 281
34Buxton 1–0Belper Town 915
35Nuneaton Borough 1–0Worcester City 1,352
36Worksop Town 2–2King's Lynn 834
replayKing's Lynn 1–4Worksop Town 1,209
37Rugby United 1–3Eastwood Town 364
38Moor Green 1–2Hinckley United 271
39Basingstoke Town 1–0Cray Wanderers 351
40Sutton United 0–0Bishop's Stortford 429
replayBishop's Stortford Sutton United 347

TieHome team ScoreAway team '
41Buckingham Town 1–2Thurrock 182
42Bromley 2–0Dartford 542
43Sittingbourne 1–2East Thurrock United 301
44Boreham Wood 4–0Burgess Hill Town 165
45Bracknell Town 4–2Tilbury 178
46Hendon 4–0Enfield 158
47Canvey Island 6–1Uxbridge 321
48Wingate & Finchley 1–2Oxford City 159
49Hampton & Richmond Borough 2–1Kingstonian 660
50Heybridge Swifts 3–3Worthing 297
replayWorthing 2–0Heybridge Swifts 452
51Lowestoft Town 2–1Lewes 317
52Hythe Town 0–4Maidstone United 603
53Leyton 1–0Leatherhead 140
54Slough Town 1–1Welling United 465
replayWelling United 4–1Slough Town 418
55Thame United 4–0Thamesmead Town 150
56Abingdon Town 1–2Chesham United 183
57Hornchurch 2–1Billericay Town 836
58Newmarket Town 3–0Fleet Town 221
59Braintree Town 3–2Aylesbury United 214
60St Albans City 2–4Grays Athletic 420
61Hayes 4–2Tooting & Mitcham United 272
62Enfield Town 0–1Carshalton Athletic 501
63Hitchin Town 0–0Folkestone Invicta 319
replayFolkestone Invicta 3–0Hitchin Town 428
64Ford United 3–1Didcot Town 117
65Croydon Athletic 2–0AFC Wallingford 150
66Northwood 2–4AFC Sudbury 385
67Dover Athletic 4–0Maidenhead United 703
68Burnham Ramblers 1–3St Margaretsbury 160
69Eastbourne Borough 2–2Chelmsford City 608
replayChelmsford City 0–2Eastbourne Borough 441
70Harrow Borough 0–0Flackwell Heath 120
replayFlackwell Heath 0–1Harrow Borough 128
71Harlow Town 0–4Crawley Town 372
72Newport County 3–2Weymouth 769
73Bognor Regis Town 0–4Havant & Waterlooville 945
74Newport (Isle of Wight) 2–1Tiverton Town 378
75Weston-super-Mare 4–1Dorchester Town 293
76Paulton Rovers 4–1Bishop Sutton 123
77Mangotsfield United 3–0Wimborne Town 233
78Brislington 0–2Bath City 516
79Salisbury City 1–1Westbury United 570
replayWestbury United 1–2Salisbury City 478
80Chippenham Town 2–1Winchester City 461
81Gloucester City 2–0Merthyr Tydfil 476
82Lymington & New Milton 8–2Clevedon United 130
83Cirencester Town 3–2Andover 202
84Exmouth Town 0–1Highworth Town 258

Third qualifying round

Matches played on weekend of Saturday 11 October 2003. A total of 84 clubs took part, all having progressed from the second qualifying round. Ashington, Gedling Town and Shirebrook Town from Level 9 of English football were the lowest-ranked club to qualify for this round of the competition.
TieHome team ScoreAway team '
1Ashton United 2–1Barrow 429
2Farsley Celtic 3–0Worksop Town 374
3Shirebrook Town 1–3Shildon 662
4Nuneaton Borough 1–1Runcorn Halton 1,201
replayRuncorn Halton Nuneaton Borough 347
5Ashington 1–3Grantham Town 659
6Gedling Town 0–1Stalybridge Celtic 210
7Eastwood Town 1–1Stocksbridge Park Steels 277
replayStocksbridge Park Steels 3–2Eastwood Town 253
8Newcastle Town 1–1Ossett Albion 184
replayOssett Albion Newcastle Town 334
9Marine 1–2Dunston Federation Brewery 329
10Blyth Spartans 2–1Halesowen Town 667
11Bradford (Park Avenue) 1–1Vauxhall Motors 321
replayVauxhall Motors 1–3Bradford (Park Avenue) 278
12Warrington Town 0–0Whitby Town 253
replayWhitby Town 2–1Warrington Town 364
13Wakefield & Emley 0–2Hinckley United 248
14Droylsden 0–2Gainsborough Trinity 345
15Buxton 2–1Radcliffe Borough 1,416
16Chorley 1–1Lancaster City 616
replayLancaster City 1–0Chorley 452
17Congleton Town 0–2Bromsgrove Rovers 544
18Kettering Town 2–0St Margaretsbury 790
19Folkestone Invicta 1–1Welling United 734
replayWelling United Folkestone Invicta 602
20Bromley 1–1Thurrock 461
replayThurrock 3–0Bromley 231

TieHome team ScoreAway team '
21Histon 0–0Newmarket Town 402
replayNewmarket Town 0–1Histon 938
22Hornchurch 5–0Carshalton Athletic 611
23Canvey Island 4–3Dover Athletic 528
24Ford United 3–2Worthing 167
25Cambridge City 3–0Lowestoft Town 357
26Maidstone United 1–1Bishop's Stortford 601
replayBishop's Stortford 3–2Maidstone United 568
27Hayes 1–1Boreham Wood 350
replayBoreham Wood 3–1Hayes 268
28East Thurrock United 1–1AFC Sudbury 600
replayAFC Sudbury East Thurrock United 602
29Leyton 3–0Bedford Town 275
30Grays Athletic 3–0Hendon 406
31Braintree Town 0–4Eastbourne Borough 351
32Crawley Town 6–1Croydon Athletic 897
33Basingstoke Town 0–0Bracknell Town 429
replayBracknell Town 1–0Basingstoke Town 375
34Gloucester City 4–3Chippenham Town 611
35Thame United 3–0Bath City 342
36Oxford City 0–3Cirencester Town 181
37Havant & Waterlooville 3–4Salisbury City 494
38Newport (Isle of Wight) 2–2Harrow Borough 415
replayHarrow Borough 2–0Newport (Isle of Wight) 181
39Newport County 3–6Mangotsfield United 667
40Weston-super-Mare 1–1Chesham United 303
replayChesham United 1–2Weston-super-Mare 211
40Lymington & New Milton 2–0Highworth Town 200
42Paulton Rovers 2–1Hampton & Richmond Borough 300

Fourth qualifying round

Matches played on weekend of Saturday 25 October 2003. A total of 64 clubs took part, 42 having progressed from the third qualifying round and 22 clubs from Conference Premier, forming Level 5 of English football, entering at this stage. The round featured six clubs from Level 8 still in the competition, being the lowest ranked clubs in this round.
TieHome team ScoreAway team '
1Ossett Albion 0–1Stalybridge Celtic 621
2Dunston Federation Brewery 0–1Lancaster City 310
3Ashton United 1–2Grantham Town 413
4Blyth Spartans 0–1Chester City 1,105
5Bromsgrove Rovers 2–2Whitby Town 814
replayWhitby Town 2–1Bromsgrove Rovers
6Burton Albion 6–0Buxton 1,980
7Morecambe 2–4Shrewsbury Town 1,651
8Telford United 3–3Tamworth 1,431
replayTamworth 2–3Telford United 1,221
9Scarborough 3–1Hinckley United 1,207
10Farsley Celtic 1–1Gainsborough Trinity 774
replayGainsborough Trinity 3–0Farsley Celtic 845
11Accrington Stanley 2–0Leigh RMI 1,361
12Northwich Victoria 1–0Halifax Town 1,101
13Runcorn Halton 0–1Bradford (Park Avenue) 379
14Shildon 6–0Stocksbridge Park Steels 1,046
15Leyton 1–2Histon 288
16Eastbourne Borough 2–2Stevenage Borough 1,305
replayStevenage Borough 1–0Eastbourne Borough 1,205

TieHome team ScoreAway team '
17Bracknell Town 0–3Barnet 1,069
18Thame United 1–2Farnborough Town 909
19Grays Athletic 3–3Margate 665
replayMargate Grays Athletic 411
20Welling United 2–3Weston-super-Mare 678
21Boreham Wood 1–0Kettering Town 501
22Forest Green Rovers 1–3Aldershot Town 1,137
23Thurrock 2–1Dagenham & Redbridge 957
24Harrow Borough 1–6Hereford United 655
25Bishop's Stortford 2–0Gloucester City 768
26Salisbury City 5–1Lymington & New Milton 1,190
27Cambridge City 2–3Ford United 412
28Mangotsfield United 1–2Canvey Island 1.083
29Hornchurch 1–0Paulton Rovers 747
30East Thurrock United 1–1Woking 1,215
replayWoking 2–0East Thurrock United 1,781
31Cirencester Town 2–4Crawley Town 715
32Exeter City 0–0Gravesend & Northfleet 2,686
replayGravesend & Northfleet Exeter City 1,227

Competition proper

See 2003–04 FA Cup for details of the rounds from the first round proper onwards.