Salford City 2-0 Notts County
- Published
Salford City bridged a 59-place gap in the football pyramid to knock League Two Notts County out of the FA Cup with an historic win at Moor Lane.
The Northern Premier League Premier Division part-timers, co-owned by five ex-Manchester United players, were making their first-round debut.
Danny Webber bundled home James Poole's cross 18 seconds into the second half.
Salford's record £5,000 signing Jordan Hulme hit the bar before Richie Allen's sensational strike sealed the victory.
Allen's 73rd-minute goal was a memorable FA Cup moment that reflected Salford's superiority on the night.
The former AFC Fylde man, with seemingly nowhere to go on the Notts goal-line, produced a stylish turn to take the ball past three defenders, before playing a one-two with Hulme and sliding the ball into the bottom corner.
It was a thoroughly deserved win in front of the live BBC television cameras for the club bought in 2014 by Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and brothers Phil and Gary Neville.
Salford, who created numerous other chances and hit the target five times to County's once, will find out their opponents for the second round on Monday when the draw takes place at 19:00 GMT live on BBC Two and the BBC Sport website.
Proud night for Class of 92
The final whistle sparked a good-natured pitch invasion by many of the 1,400 jubilant home fans - around seven times the number who watched their first qualifying round tie against Whitby Town in September.
This was the seventh-tier club's seventh match in this year's competition, and their remarkable performance was witnessed by co-owners Gary Neville, Scholes and Butt.
Giggs, who is also Manchester United's assistant manager, watched the tie from a nearby hotel before the Red Devils' Premier League home game with West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
Phil Neville followed the match on Twitter from Spain, where he is assistant manager of Valencia.
Notts County, 15th in the League Two table, found themselves outclassed and outwitted by a team whose joint manager Anthony Johnson had to book two days off work as a lorry driver so he could study videos and reports of their opponents.
'Once in a lifetime stuff'
Salford City joint manager Anthony Johnson: "It's once-in-a-lifetime stuff, that's what we told them. I didn't think we could win! They are a full-time side with top players but the boys have proved me wrong. I've never felt so emotional after a game."
Salford City co-owner Gary Neville: "That was unbelievable. It puts faith back into you, it's what football is about. The FA Cup takes a battering but tonight epitomises what it is all about. I've not had a moment like that for a few years."
Salford City midfielder James Poole: "If that had been 4-0 or 5-0 I don't think Notts County could have complained. It means a lot to the owners. It's something different to what they've been involved in before in the FA Cup."
'A disgrace'
Notts County boss Ricardo Moniz: "I will never forget it - a disaster for Notts County. They deserved to win, they were better. They wanted it more, circumstances were in their advantage but we never came into the game.
"You warn your players, everyone knows the scenario. But then the defending was a disgrace at this level, to give players that much room."
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