Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers insists James Maddison is “built for a World Cup” as the playmaker starred in their 2-0 victory at Everton.The 25-year-old has not been picked by England since October 2019 but is still holding out hope of making the final cut for Gareth Southgate’s squad for the tournament in Qatar, which starts in 15 days.He provided the assists for Youri Tie...Full Story »

Lee Bell dedicated Crewe’s surprise FA Cup success over League Two leaders Leyton Orient to outgoing manager Alex Morris.Morris stepped down on Friday on compassionate grounds, swapping roles with Bell, who had been his assistant. And the club’s former midfielder and youth coach got off to a winning start after his players put their ailing league form behind them with a spirited disp...Full Story »

Dino Maamria called it “job done” after his Burton side avoided an FA Cup giant-killing.Goals from Deji Oshilaja and Joe Powell saw off Southern League Premier Division side Needham Market 2-0 to book a place in the second round.The Brewers boss had to wait for Powell to fire home with the last kick of the game to be sure of Albion’s safe passage after Oshilaja had scored in th...Full Story »

Gary Caldwell is promising to drive his Exeter City team to continue improving after the Scot oversaw a thrilling 3-2 FA Cup first-round win at Port Vale for a first victory since taking charge last month.Archie Collins sunk Vale with a tremendous 89th-minute strike, only two minutes after Dan Butterworth’s low finish drew the hosts level.Jevani Brown scored twice for Exeter, the striker&r...Full Story »

Danny Waldron scored twice as Alvechurch pulled off a major FA Cup first-round shock and one of the best results in their history by winning 2-1 at Cheltenham.The Southern League Premier Division Central club opened up a 2-0 lead against their League One hosts and were backed by more than 1,400 travelling fans.Caleb Taylor was caught in possession in the 19th minute and Waldron raced through and...Full Story »

Burton ensured there would be no FA Cup shock at the Pirelli Stadium as they put an end to Needham Market’s record-breaking run with a 2-0 win.The Suffolk side from the Southern League Premier Central Division were in the first round of the competition for the first time in their history but lost to goals from Deji Oshilaja and Joe Powell.Oshilaja bagged his third of the season, and a firs...Full Story »

MK Dons eased past Taunton in the FA Cup first round, strolling to a 6-0 home win at Stadium MK.Goals from Dawson Devoy, Will Grigg, Darragh Burns, Mo Eisa and a late brace from Conor Grant saw the League One side safely into the hat for the second round draw at the expense of their non-league opponents.The result sees the Dons extend their unbeaten run to three matches in all competitions despi...Full Story »

Joe Hanks’ backheel saw sixth-tier Chippenham beat Lincoln 1-0 to reach the FA Cup second round for the first time.The quick-thinking Hanks dashed towards the front post and flicked home in the 44th minute after a throw-in from the right had been nodded on.It was a warranted lead at half-time after the Bluebirds had soaked up pressure calmly, lying in wait to break with purpose.Hanks might...Full Story »

Rakish Bingham struck the second-half winner to send Ebbsfleet into the second round of the FA Cup for the first time in 10 years after a 2-1 win over 10-man FC Halifax.Bingham decided it after the sides had gone in level at the break, with Jamie Cooke cancelling out Toby Edser’s opener for Ebbsfleet.It might have been a different story had Jack Senior not been sent off after 56 minutes, b...Full Story »

Stockport cruised into the second round of the FA Cup thanks to a comprehensive 4-0 win against Sky Bet League Two rivals Swindon.Both sides had been in decent form going into the game, but it was dominant County who went on to secure a sixth consecutive clean sheet in all competitions.Stockport struck early when Antoni Sarcevic tucked home from an angle after he met Akil Wright’s measured...Full Story »

Bristol City are again set to be without Kal Naismith for Lincoln’s Carabao Cup visit to Ashton Gate.Naismith has not played for over a month because of a calf injury and no timescale has been put on his return.Robins boss Nigel Pearson plans to rest some regulars during a busy Sky Bet Championship programme and Tomas Kalas (knee) could be available after returning to training last week.De...Full Story »

Jonny Evans could return for Leicester’s Carabao Cup visit of Newport.The defender has been battling a calf injury but is edging closer to fitness and may feature.Ricardo Pereira (Achilles) and Ryan Bertrand (knee) remain out for the Foxes, who survived a scare against Stockport in the last round in August to eventually win on penalties.Newport’s Offrande Zanzala is expected to sit o...Full Story »

Martin Boyle will miss Hibernian’s last two matches before the break for the World Cup.The winger sat out Friday’s defeat at Aberdeen with a knee injury which also keeps him out for the home game against Ross County on Tuesday night and the trip to Kilmarnock at the weekend although boss Lee Johnson remains confident he can make the trip to Qatar with Australia.Lewis Miller is out wi...Full Story »

MK Dons boss Liam Manning will hope to have a full squad from which to select for Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup clash with Morecambe after being forced to make changes at the weekend.The Dons were hit by illness in the run up to Saturday’s 6-0 FA Cup first-round win over non-league Taunton Town with goalkeeper Jamie Cumming and midfielder Bradley Johnson missing out all together.Nathan...Full Story »

Bournemouth’s interim head coach Gary O’Neil is likely to make changes for the Carabao Cup visit of Everton.However, with first-choice goalkeeper Neto out until after the World Cup with a hamstring strain, Mark Travers looks set to stay in the side as 21-year-old back-up Cameron Plain has yet to make a senior start.Midfielder David Brooks (hamstring) and captain Lloyd Kelly (ankle) a...Full Story »

Battling seventh-tier Bracknell suffered a 3-0 FA Cup first-round defeat to League One outfit Ipswich.The visitors’ class eventually told as a second-half spree killed off the Southern League Premier Division South side’s fairy tale run, their first appearance in the first round since 2000.Captain Dan Bayliss’ own goal broke the resistance before Freddie Ladapo and Panutche Cam...Full Story »

Forest Green manager Ian Burchnall praised South Shields after his side came through a challenging afternoon against the Northern Premier League club.Former Sunderland striker Connor Wickham returned to the north east to grab a goal in each half that ensured the Sky Bet League One strugglers came through an awkward test in front of a club-record crowd of 3,800 at the 1st Cloud Arena.Wickham open...Full Story »

Connor Wickham scored twice on his return to the north east as Forest Green came through a severe test by winning 2-0 at Northern Premier League side South Shields in the FA Cup first round.The opening 25 minutes were all about the Sky Bet League One side as they created the first meaningful chances, with home goalkeeper Myles Boney denying Corey O’Keefe and Regan Hendry sending an overhea...Full Story »

Four members of England's band have reportedly joined a Qatari-funded scheme to spy on their fellow supporters during the World Cup and publicly promote the host nation in exchange for a free trip The England band's John Hemmingham (Image: MDM) Whether you love them or hate them, it'll be hard not to grimace when the England band starts up in Qatar later this month. A bombshell new report cla...Full Story »

The Wales attacker has started just twice for LAFC since moving from Real Madrid in the summer. LAFC attacker Gareth Bale is likely to only be a sub for Saturday night's MLS final against the Philadelphia Union Credit: AFP Wales' biggest name Gareth Bale is still expected to be fit for the World Cup Credit: Reuters And he is set to be on the bench for Saturday night’s MLS final here in ...Full Story »