AFC Greenwich Borough earn FA Cup first qualifying place with 4-2 win
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AFC Greenwich Borough marked their FA Cup debut with a 4-2 preliminary-round victory over Cray Valley Paper Mills and will take their place in the first qualifying round on 5 September.
AFC Greenwich Borough reached the Emirates FA Cup first qualifying round by beating Cray Valley Paper Mills 4-2 in the preliminary round.
The victory came in Greenwich Borough's first FA Cup campaign and earned the Southern Counties East Premier Division club a place in the next stage, which is scheduled for Saturday 5 September 2026. The first qualifying round contains 112 ties from across the non-league pyramid.
Trafford also produced one of the preliminary round's notable results, winning 3-2 away at higher-ranked Runcorn Linnets to progress.
The FA Cup prize fund gives clubs at this level a further incentive alongside progression. First qualifying round winners receive £2,250, while losing clubs collect £750. Those sums are modest by professional-football standards but can still make a useful contribution to a non-league club's running costs.
Greenwich Borough now move into the first qualifying round after a four-goal cup debut, extending their involvement in the competition into September.
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