Heimir Hallgrimsson has warned the Republic of Ireland they will need to be better than they were in Nations League victory over Finland if they want to qualify for the 2026 World Cup finals.Evan Ferguson’s header secured a 1-0 win over the Finns, who they beat 2-1 in Helsinki last month, to send Ireland into Sunday’s final League B2 fixture against England – 3-0 winners in Gre...Full Story »

Chesterfield manager Paul Cook reflected on “a tough day at the office” after a 3-0 defeat against Accrington ended their unbeaten home record in Sky Bet League Two.Josh Woods’ first-half strike and further goals in the second half from Zach Awe and substitute Jimmy Knowles brought Chesterfield’s eight-game streak to an end.Cook added: “We never started the game at ...Full Story »

Lincoln overcame a potential FA Cup banana skin at Chesham with a 4-0 victory at The Meadow.Goals by Jack Moylan, Jovon Makama, Conor McGrandles and an own goal from Callum Adebiyi set up an all-Sky Bet League One clash with Crawley in the second round.Chesham came close after 38 minutes when goalkeeper George Wickens had to claw away a looping Nathan Minhas header after a Samson Esan cross.Howe...Full Story »

Philippe Clement wants Rangers’ 2-1 Premier Sports Cup semi-final win over Motherwell at Hampden Park to be a reference point for the rest of the season.Former Light Blues midfielder Andy Halliday opened the scoring in the 24th minute but second-half strikes from striker Cyriel Dessers and attacker Nedim Bajrami set up a final meeting with Celtic on December 15.The Belgian boss came in for...Full Story »

Harrogate boss Simon Weaver applauded his players for performing in front of a “global audience” as they dumped Wrexham out of the FA Cup.Veteran striker Jack Muldoon’s first-half header secured a shock 1-0 success for the Sulphurites in the televised clash and, in a clear reference to the Dragons’ Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, argued his players&rsqu...Full Story »

Richie Wellens breathed a sigh of relief after his Leyton Orient side reached round two of the FA Cup by winning on penalties at Boreham Wood.Orient had eased into a two-goal lead after 49 minutes, Sonny Perkins and Dan Agyei the men on target, but the visitors hit back with goals by Tyrone Marsh and Charlie O’Connell making it 2-2 and taking the tie to extra time.“I’m relieved...Full Story »

Veteran striker Jack Muldoon secured an FA Cup shock as Harrogate defeated Hollywood-backed Wrexham 1-0 in the first round.The 35-year-old forward, who has not scored a goal in Sky Bet League Two all season, dumped out the higher-division Welsh outfit courtesy of a clinical first-half header. `During a high-octane tie, Wrexham’s front two of Ollie Palmer and Paul Mullin failed to convert a...Full Story »

Leyton Orient booked their place in round two of the FA Cup by overcoming Boreham Wood 3-1 on penalties after a 2-2 draw at Meadow Park.Ethan Galbraith converted the decisive spot-kick for the visitors after Tom Whelan, Chris Bush and Junior Dixon had all failed with their attempts for the hosts.Orient, who had defender Jayden Sweeney sent off in extra time, had looked set to make comfortable pr...Full Story »

Rangers came from behind to beat Motherwell 2-1 and set up an Old Firm Premier Sports Cup final but only after frustrating their fans again.The mood among Gers supporters, many of whom have turned against boss Philippe Clement, worsened markedly after former Light Blues midfielder Andy Halliday opened the scoring at Hampden Park in the 25th minute and the lacklustre Ibrox side were loudly booed ...Full Story »

Sky Bet League One high-flyers Mansfield took advantage of Marcus Poscha’s 16th-minute dismissal to beat sixth-tier Curzon Ashton 4-0 at the Tameside Stadium.Poscha was adjudged to have handled Will Evans’ shot on the goal-line by referee Thomas Parsons, but left the pitch claiming the ball had struck his chest.Lucas Akins bagged his second goal in successive games from the penalty s...Full Story »

Birmingham boss Chris Davies was pleased with his side’s professionalism as they won 1-0 at non-league Sutton in the first round of the FA Cup.Willum Willumsson’s first-half goal separated the two sides at Gander Green Lane as the Sky Bet League One leaders progressed.“We were far superior in the game,” said Davies. “We just couldn’t get that second goal to ta...Full Story »

AFC Wimbledon beat bitter rivals MK Dons for the third time in a row after a 2-0 win at Stadium MK in the FA Cup first round.Matty Stevens put AFC Wimbledon ahead just before half time before Omar Bugiel doubled their lead in the opening minutes of the second half.MK Dons’ misery was compounded when Connor Lemonheigh-Evans was sent off in the second half, with the visitors advancing to the...Full Story »

Sky Bet League One leaders Birmingham avoided a FA Cup upset with a 1-0 win at non-league Sutton.Willum Willumsson’s first-half goal was enough to beat the battling Vanarama National League outfit, who rarely troubled the visitors.Birmingham dominated possession for long spells, but apart from a Jay Stansfield shot that was well saved by Jack Sims, they failed to create many clear cut chan...Full Story »

Proud Guiseley manager Mark Bower said it was “gutting” his side did not get the FA Cup upset at Stevenage he felt they deserved.The Northern Premier League visitors were eventually beaten 5-4 on penalties after an 83rd-minute Will Longbottom equaliser had sent the game to extra time.However, Bower felt it should have been his team, and not League One Boro, who should have been celeb...Full Story »

Maidenhead assistant manager Ryan Peters was proud of his side’s efforts despite bowing out of the FA Cup following a 2-1 extra-time defeat at home to Crawley.The Magpies were on course to reach the second round for the first time since 1886 through Shawn McCoulsky but Toby Mullarkey’s strike in stoppage time forced an additional 30 minutes.Tola Showunmi’s first Crawley goal wi...Full Story »

Kettering produced an FA Cup giantkilling for the ages as they stunned local rivals Northampton 2-1 at Sixfields.The seventh-tier Poppies trailed to an unfortunate own goal at half-time, but overcame 79 places and four divisions to claim a famous victory against their county neighbours in the first round.Substitute Luca Miller scored with his first touch to level before former Newcastle striker ...Full Story »

Bristol Rovers manager Matt Taylor praised Weston-super-Mare after the non-league side pushed the Pirates all the way before suffering a 3-1 defeat in their FA Cup first-round clash at the Memorial Stadium.The League One outfit needed extra time to get past stubborn opposition from three tiers below, as the Seagulls showed why they are flying high in the National League South and had not lost fo...Full Story »

Charlton boss Nathan Jones felt his side’s dramatic 4-3 win at Southend showed why the FA Cup is the best competition in the world.Gassan Ahadme’s strike in the dying seconds of extra time saw the Addicks through to the second round.Jones admitted he was relieved to avoid an upset against their National League hosts.“We should’ve gone through comfortably but as it was it ...Full Story »

Doncaster boss Grant McCann was thrilled after his side’s late 1-0 win over Barrow in the FA Cup first round.Patrick Kelly, on loan from Premier League West Ham, sent the visitors through at Holker Street as he opened his account for the club with a timely 83rd-minute winner.McCann said: “I’m really pleased to get through.“I’m pleased for Patrick to get his first go...Full Story »

Micky Mellon insists Oldham’s priority is regaining their Football League status after watching them dump former club Tranmere out of the Emirates FA Cup.However, the ex-Rovers boss was jubilant about his National League side’s comeback 2-1 win over their League Two hosts, enabling the Latics to reach round two for the first time in four seasons.Connor Jennings fired Tranmere –...Full Story »