Football tournament season
2015–16 FA Trophy Country England Guernsey Wales Teams 276 Champions FC Halifax Town Runners-up Grimsby Town
The 2015–16 FA Trophy was the 46th season of the FA Trophy , the Football Association 's cup competition for teams at levels 5–8 of the English football league system . A total of 276 clubs entered the competition, which was won by FC Halifax Town after beating Grimsby Town 1-0 in front of 46,781 spectators at Wembley in the final on 22 May 2016.
Calendar [ ]
Round
Main date
Number of fixtures
Clubs
New entries this round
Prize money
Preliminary round
3 October 2015
64
276 → 212
128
£2,500
First round qualifying
31 October 2015
72
212 → 140
80
£2,700
Second round qualifying
14 November 2015
36
140 → 104
none
£3,250
Third round qualifying
28 November 2015
40
104 → 64
44
£4,000
First round proper
12 December 2015
32
64 → 32
24
£5,000
Second round proper
16 January 2016
16
32 → 16
none
£6,000
Third round proper
6 February 2016
8
16 → 8
none
£7,000
Fourth round proper
27 February 2016
4
8 → 4
none
£8,000
Semi-finals
12 March and 19 March 2016
2
4 → 2
none
£16,000
Final
22 May 2016
1
2 → 1
none
Runner-up £25,000 Winner £50,000
Preliminary round [ ]
A total of 128 clubs, from Level 8 of English football, entered preliminary round of the competition. Eight clubs from level 8 get a bye to the first round qualifying - AFC Hornchurch , Bedford Town , Brighouse Town , Chatham Town , Goole , Kings Langley , Peacehaven & Telscombe and Swindon Supermarine .
First round qualifying [ ]
First round qualifying fixtures were due to be played on 31 October 2015, with replays taking place no later than 6 November. A total of 144 teams took part in this stage of the competition including 64 winners from the preliminary round, 72 teams from Level 7 of English football and eight teams from level 8, who get a bye in the previous round.
Tie
Home Team (Tier)
Score
Away Team (Tier)
Att.
1
Marine (7)
1–0
Sheffield (8)
259
2
Witton Albion (8)
1–2
Radcliffe Borough (8)
153
3
Buxton (7)
2–1
Frickley Athletic (7)
151
4
Blyth Spartans (7)
4–0
Kendal Town (8)
442
5
Shaw Lane Aquaforce (8)
4–3
Farsley Celtic (8)
182
6
Workington (7)
0–3
Whitby Town (7)
343
7
Northwich Victoria (8)
1–2
Stocksbridge Park Steels (8)
168
8
Nantwich Town (7)
2–1
Salford City (7)
550
9
Spennymoor Town (8)
6–0
Goole (8)
411
10
Ashton United (7)
2–2
Ramsbottom United (7)
138
replay
Ramsbottom United (7)
2–2 (9–10 p )
Ashton United (7)
151
11
Skelmersdale United (7)
3–3
Hyde United (7)
209
replay
Hyde United (7)
A–A
Skelmersdale United (7)
Tie abandoned after 22 minutes due to fog
replay
Hyde United (7)
0–1
Skelmersdale United (7)
224
12
Warrington Town (8)
2–0
Brighouse Town (8)
235
13
Burscough (8)
1–0
Colwyn Bay (7)
156
14
Darlington 1883 (7)
3–2
Mossley (8)
635
15
Leamington (7)
6–1
Barwell (7)
291
16
Cambridge City (7)
0–1
Ilkeston (7)
232
17
Sutton Coldfield Town (7)
2–0
Coalville Town (8)
138
18
Evesham United (8)
1–0
Redditch United (7)
302
19
Carlton Town (8)
2–1
Stamford (7)
96
20
Belper Town (8)
1–1
King's Lynn Town (7)
236
replay
King's Lynn Town (7)
5–1
Belper Town (8)
376
21
Histon (7)
0–0
Stratford Town (7)
187
replay
Stratford Town (7)
4–1
Histon (7)
133
22
Basford United (8)
3–1
Grantham Town (7)
162
23
St Ives Town (8)
0–1
Kettering Town (7)
325
24
Rushall Olympic (7)
1–0
Mickleover Sports (7)
101
25
Stafford Rangers (8)
1–1
Lincoln United (8)
414
replay
Lincoln United (8)
1–1 (5–4 p )
Stafford Rangers (8)
111
26
Halesowen Town (7)
1–2
Stourbridge (7)
808
27
Newcastle Town (8)
2–2
Kidsgrove Athletic (8)
132
replay
Kidsgrove Athletic (8)
3–0
Newcastle Town (8)
190
28
Matlock Town (7)
2–0
Gresley (8)
242
29
St Neots Town (7)
2–0
Bedworth United (7)
215
30
Northwood (8)
1–3
Bedford Town (8)
91
31
East Thurrock United (7)
4–0
South Park (8)
68
32
Corinthian Casuals (8)
4–1
Redbridge (8)
76
33
Chipstead (8)
1–2
Hastings United (8)
94
34
Leatherhead (7)
1–5
Kingstonian (7)
260
35
Enfield Town (7)
4–0
Leighton Town (8)
312
36
Aylesbury (8)
1–1
Brentwood Town (7)
66
replay
Brentwood Town (7)
2–0
Aylesbury (8)
89
Tie
Home Team (Tier)
Score
Away Team (Tier)
Att.
37
Phoenix Sports (8)
1–1
Tonbridge Angels (7)
244
replay
Tonbridge Angels (7)
2–0
Phoenix Sports (8)
339
38
Herne Bay (8)
1–1
Walton Casuals (8)
117
replay
Walton Casuals (8)
2–3
Herne Bay (8)
46
39
AFC Hornchurch (8)
2–3
Metropolitan Police (7)
110
40
Thurrock (8)
3–0
Chatham Town (8)
84
41
VCD Athletic (7)
2–1
Staines Town (7)
102
42
Chalfont St Peter (8)
1–3
Waltham Abbey (8)
59
43
Cheshunt (8)
2–0
Heybridge Swifts (8)
112
44
Billericay Town (7)
0–2
Chesham United (7)
271
45
Thamesmead Town (8)
1–0
Ramsgate (8)
96
46
East Grinstead Town (8)
0–3
Bognor Regis Town (7)
249
Tie played at Bognor Regis Town
47
Tilbury (8)
2–1
Tooting & Mitcham United (8)
101
48
Dunstable Town (7)
1–3
Haringey Borough (8)
76
49
Hitchin Town (7)
3–2
Burgess Hill Town (7)
190
50
Lewes (7)
0–0
Hampton & Richmond Borough (7)
325
replay
Hampton & Richmond Borough (7)
2–1
Lewes (7)
171
51
Grays Athletic (7)
2–1
Biggleswade Town (7)
151
52
Romford (8)
0–4
Slough Town (7)
134
53
Wingate & Finchley (7)
0–2
Royston Town (8)
103
54
Harrow Borough (7)
0–3
Dulwich Hamlet (7)
185
55
Hendon (7)
0–1
AFC Sudbury (8)
182
56
Worthing (8)
1–3
Leiston (7)
311
57
Merstham (7)
0–0
Harlow Town (8)
123
replay
Harlow Town (8)
6–2
Merstham (7)
210
58
Bury Town (8)
2–0
Kings Langley (8)
272
59
Needham Market (7)
0–2
Canvey Island (7)
191
60
Paulton Rovers (7)
2–3
Swindon Supermarine (8)
101
61
Molesey (8)
1–0
Didcot Town (8)
95
62
Taunton Town (8)
1–1
Dorking Wanderers (8)
194
replay
Dorking Wanderers (8)
1–3
Taunton Town (8)
118
63
Hungerford Town (7)
0–0
Banbury United (8)
128
replay
Banbury United (8)
0–3
Hungerford Town (7)
170
64
Cirencester Town (7)
2–1
North Leigh (8)
85
65
Dorchester Town (7)
2–1
Chippenham Town (7)
254
66
Mangotsfield United (8)
6–1
Bashley (8)
111
67
Egham Town (8)
1–2
Frome Town (7)
72
68
Merthyr Town (7)
1–0
Poole Town (7)
270
69
Peacehaven & Telscombe (8)
0–3
Tiverton Town (8)
130
70
Winchester City (8)
1–2
Weymouth (7)
349
71
Bideford (7)
1–1
Farnborough (7)
182
replay
Farnborough (7)
2–2 (4–5 p )
Bideford (7)
115
72
Marlow (8)
3–0
Larkhall Athletic (8)
105
Second round qualifying [ ]
Second round qualifying fixtures were due to be played on 14 November 2015, with replays taking place no later than 20 November. A total of 72 teams took part in this stage of the competition, all winners from the first qualifying round. The draw was as follows: [1]
Tie
Home Team (Tier)
Score
Away Team (Tier)
Att.
1
Blyth Spartans (7)
1–0
Whitby Town (7)
643
2
Ashton United (7)
2–1
Stratford Town (7)
112
3
Evesham United (8)
1–2
Spennymoor Town (8)
294
4
Buxton (7)
5–1
Radcliffe Borough (8)
183
5
Skelmersdale United (7)
4–2
Lincoln United (8)
185
6
Sutton Coldfield Town (7)
1–0
Darlington 1883 (7)
360
7
Nantwich Town (7)
5–1
King's Lynn Town (7)
329
8
Shaw Lane Aquaforce (8)
1–2
Matlock Town (7)
232
9
Leamington (7)
0–0
Rushall Olympic (7)
296
replay
Rushall Olympic (7)
2–3 (a.e.t. )
Leamington (7)
181
10
Warrington Town (8)
3–0
Basford United (8)
202
11
Marine (7)
2–2
Kidsgrove Athletic (8)
274
replay
Kidsgrove Athletic (8)
0–1
Marine (7)
156
12
Ilkeston (7)
1–1
Stocksbridge Park Steels (8)
406
replay
Stocksbridge Park Steels (8)
3–2
Ilkeston (7)
108
13
Kettering Town (7)
0–3
Burscough (8)
435
14
Stourbridge (7)
2–0
Carlton Town (8)
428
15
Bideford (7)
3–2
Brentwood Town (7)
185
16
St Neots Town (7)
1–2
Hungerford Town (7)
207
17
Haringey Borough (8)
1–1
Hitchin Town (7)
119
replay
Hitchin Town (7)
3–0
Haringey Borough (8)
109
18
Thurrock (8)
3–2
Cheshunt (8)
77
19
Tonbridge Angels (7)
1–2
Cirencester Town (7)
372
Tie
Home Team (Tier)
Score
Away Team (Tier)
Att.
20
Enfield Town (7)
0–2
Thamesmead Town (8)
270
21
Tilbury (8)
4–2
Royston Town (8)
106
22
Leiston (7)
1–2
Corinthian Casuals (8)
185
23
Bedford Town (8)
1–4
Weymouth (7)
229
24
Swindon Supermarine (8)
2–3
Chesham United (7)
211
25
Taunton Town (8)
1–4
Bognor Regis Town (7)
351
26
Molesey (8)
4–3
Harlow Town (8)
94
27
East Thurrock United (7)
5–0
Tiverton Town (8)
141
28
Waltham Abbey (8)
0–2
Grays Athletic (7)
146
29
Dulwich Hamlet (7)
2–0
VCD Athletic (7)
795
30
Frome Town (7)
2–1
Slough Town (7)
151
31
Hampton & Richmond Borough (7)
3–1
AFC Sudbury (8)
212
32
Dorchester Town (7)
2–2
Kingstonian (7)
312
replay
Kingstonian (7)
2–1
Dorchester Town (7)
221
33
Marlow (8)
1–0
Mangotsfield United (8)
118
34
Canvey Island (7)
0–2
Metropolitan Police (7)
187
35
Hastings United (8)
A–A
Merthyr Town (7)
281
Tie abandoned at halftime due to waterlogged pitch
35
Hastings United (8)
1–2
Merthyr Town (7)
150
36
Bury Town (8)
1–1
Herne Bay (8)
316
replay
Herne Bay (8)
1–1 (3–4 p )
Bury Town (8)
131
Third round qualifying [ ]
Third round qualifying fixtures were due to be played on 28 November 2015, with replays taking place no later than 4 December. A total of 80 teams took part in this stage of the competition, all winners from the second round qualifying and 44 clubs from Level 6 of English football. The draw was as follows: [2]
Tie
Home Team (Tier)
Score
Away Team (Tier)
Att.
1
F.C. United of Manchester (6)
1–2
AFC Telford United (6)
1,034
2
Solihull Moors (6)
1–0
Boston United (6)
319
3
Leamington (7)
4–2
Hednesford Town (6)
308
4
Stourbridge (7)
4–2
Spennymoor Town (8)
393
5
Harrogate Town (6)
0–1
Curzon Ashton (6)
237
6
Marine (7)
1–2
Burscough (8)
294
7
Corby Town (6)
2–6
Tamworth (6)
335
8
Gainsborough Trinity (6)
0–0
Ashton United (7)
307
replay
Ashton United (7)
3–1
Gainsborough Trinity (6)
106
9
Brackley Town (6)
0–2
Worcester City (6)
227
10
Chorley (6)
0–0
Skelmersdale United (7)
559
replay
Skelmersdale United (7)
5–2
Chorley (6)
559
11
Warrington Town (8)
0–2
AFC Fylde (6)
297
12
Buxton (7)
A–A
Bradford Park Avenue (6)
203
Tie abandoned at halftime due to waterlogged pitch
12
Buxton (7)
1–2
Bradford Park Avenue (6)
205
13
Matlock Town (7)
4–2
Blyth Spartans (7)
303
14
Nuneaton Town (6)
2–0
Alfreton Town (6)
467
15
Sutton Coldfield Town (7)
1–0
Stalybridge Celtic (6)
140
16
North Ferriby United (6)
1–2
Stocksbridge Park Steels (8)
252
17
Stockport County (6)
0–2
Nantwich Town (7)
1,066
18
Merthyr Town (7)
1–1
East Thurrock United (7)
225
replay
East Thurrock United (7)
3–1
Merthyr Town (7)
162
19
Hampton & Richmond Borough (7)
0–1
Maidstone United (6)
488
20
Ebbsfleet United (6)
4–1
Molesey (8)
672
21
Maidenhead United (6)
4–0
Bideford (7)
262
First round [ ]
First round fixtures were due to be played on 12 December 2015, with replays taking place no later than 18 December. A total of 64 teams took part in this stage of the competition, all winners from the third round qualifying and the clubs from Level 5 of English football. The draw was as follows: [3]
Tie
Home Team (Tier)
Score
Away Team (Tier)
Att.
1
FC Halifax Town (5)
5–0
Tamworth (6)
439
2
Grimsby Town (5)
1–1
Solihull Moors (6)
1,071
replay
Solihull Moors (6)
2–3
Grimsby Town (5)
479
3
Sutton Coldfield Town (7)
0–1
Barrow (5)
326
4
Burscough (8)
2–2
Guiseley (5)
227
replay
Guiseley (5)
3–2
Burscough (8)
233
5
Macclesfield Town (5)
A–A
Ashton United (7)
607
Tie abandoned at half due to waterlogged pitch
5
Macclesfield Town (5)
4–0
Ashton United (7)
610
6
Nantwich Town (7)
2–0
Matlock Town (7)
423
7
Southport (5)
0–0
Worcester City (6)
270
replay
Worcester City (6)
2–3
Southport (5)
452
8
Curzon Ashton (6)
3–1
Nuneaton Town (6)
121
9
Altrincham (5)
1–1
Leamington (7)
355
replay
Leamington (7)
1–2 (a.e.t. )
Altrincham (5)
332
10
AFC Telford United (6)
0–2
Chester (5)
850
11
Stourbridge (7)
2–1
Kidderminster Harriers (5)
902
12
Gateshead (5)
4–1
Stocksbridge Park Steels (8)
199
13
AFC Fylde (6)
4–4
Skelmersdale United (7)
221
replay
Skelmersdale United (7)
0–4
AFC Fylde (6)
186
14
Bradford Park Avenue (6)
2–1
Lincoln City (5)
360
Tie
Home Team (Tier)
Score
Away Team (Tier)
Att.
15
Tranmere Rovers (5)
2–4
Wrexham (5)
3,397
16
Eastbourne Borough (6)
7–4
Hemel Hempstead Town (6)
317
17
Tilbury (8)
3–4
Welling United (5)
186
18
Truro City (6)
2–2
Cirencester Town (7)
302
replay
Cirencester Town (7)
0–1
Truro City (6)
123
19
Torquay United (5)
0–0
Chesham United (7)
1,130
replay
Chesham United (7)
0–2
Torquay United (5)
356
20
Whitehawk (6)
1–3
Dover Athletic (5)
372
21
Corinthian Casuals (8)
1–2
Hungerford Town (7)
162
22
Boreham Wood (5)
1–2
Woking (5)
275
23
Sutton United (6)
3–1
Lowestoft Town (6)
454
24
Maidstone United (6)
0–1
Bognor Regis Town (7)
892
25
Cheltenham Town (5)
3–1
Chelmsford City (6)
1,124
26
East Thurrock United (7)
1–4
Maidenhead United (6)
156
27
Oxford City (6)
3–1
Ebbsfleet United (6)
495
28
Aldershot Town (5)
0–1
Eastleigh (5)
877
29
Weston-super-Mare (6)
3–2
Wealdstone (6)
155
30
Havant & Waterlooville (6)
2–0
Forest Green Rovers (5)
266
31
Bury Town (8)
1–2
Dulwich Hamlet (7)
441
32
Braintree Town (5)
1–0
Bromley (5)
204
Second round [ ]
Second round fixtures were due to be played on 16 January 2016, with replays taking place no later than 22 January. A total of 32 teams took part in this stage of the competition, all winners from the first round. The draw was as follows: [4]
Tie
Home Team (Tier)
Score
Away Team (Tier)
Att.
1
Dulwich Hamlet (7)
1–2
Guiseley (5)
1,949
2
Dover Athletic (5)
2–1
Southport (5)
629
3
Havant & Waterlooville (6)
2–1
Welling United (5)
371
4
Truro City (6)
2–2
Macclesfield Town (5)
685
replay
Macclesfield Town (5)
2–0
Truro City (6)
507
5
Braintree Town (5)
0–1
Stourbridge (7)
244
6
Chester (5)
4–0
Hungerford Town (7)
1,276
7
Eastbourne Borough (6)
1–4
AFC Fylde (6)
352
8
Sutton United (6)
1–0
Curzon Ashton (6)
605
9
Torquay United (5)
1–0
Wrexham (5)
1,361
Tie
Home Team (Tier)
Score
Away Team (Tier)
Att.
10
Grimsby Town (5)
3–1
Weston-super-Mare (6)
1,230
11
FC Halifax Town (5)
1–0
Barrow (5)
673
12
Eastleigh (5)
1–2
Gateshead (5)
453
13
Bognor Regis Town (7)
2–1
Altrincham (5)
520
14
Bradford Park Avenue (6)
1–1
Nantwich Town (7)
207
replay
Nantwich Town (7)
5–0
Bradford Park Avenue (6)
281
15
Woking (5)
6–1
Maidenhead United (6)
1,006
16
Oxford City (6)
2–2
Cheltenham Town (5)
926
replay
Cheltenham Town (5)
0–3
Oxford City (6)
776
Third round [ ]
Third round fixtures were due to be played on 6 February 2015, with replays taking place no later than 12 February. A total of 16 teams took part in this stage of the competition, all winners from the second round. The draw was as follows: [5]
Tie
Home Team (Tier)
Score
Away Team (Tier)
Att.
1
Torquay United (5)
3–3
Macclesfield Town (5)
838
replay
Macclesfield Town (5)
0–1
Torquay United (5)
566
2
Grimsby Town (5)
3–0
Havant & Waterlooville (6)
1,613
3
Gateshead (5)
1–0
AFC Fylde (6)
485
4
FC Halifax Town (5)
1–0
Chester (5)
878
5
Woking (5)
1–0
Oxford City (6)
923
Tie
Home Team (Tier)
Score
Away Team (Tier)
Att.
6
Dover Athletic (5)
2–2
Guiseley (5)
667
replay
Guiseley (5)
0–3
Dover Athletic (5)
476
7
Sutton United (6)
0–0
Bognor Regis Town (7)
1,258
replay
Bognor Regis Town (7)
2–1 (a.e.t. )
Sutton United (6)
941
8
Nantwich Town (7)
1–0
Stourbridge (7)
510
Fourth round [ ]
Fourth round fixtures were due to be played on 27 February 2015, with replays taking place no later than 4 March. A total of 8 teams took part in this stage of the competition, all winners from the third round. The draw was as follows: [6]
Tie
Home Team (Tier)
Score
Away Team (Tier)
Att.
1
Nantwich Town (7)
2–1
Dover Athletic (5)
892
2
FC Halifax Town (5)
0–0
Gateshead (5)
1,431
replay
Gateshead (5)
3–3 (4–5 p )
FC Halifax Town (5)
724
Tie
Home Team (Tier)
Score
Away Team (Tier)
Att.
3
Grimsby Town (5)
2–0
Woking (5)
1,675
4
Bognor Regis Town (7)
1–0
Torquay United (5)
1,821
Semi-finals [ ]
Semi-final fixtures were due to be played on 12 March and 19 March 2016, with the second leg going to extra time and penalties if required. A total of four teams took part in this stage of the competition. The draw was as follows: [7]
First leg [ ]
Second leg [ ]
Final [ ]
Main article: 2016 FA Trophy Final
References [ ]
National teams
Senior (UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying round , finals )
U21 (UEFA Euro 2017 qualifying round )
U19 (UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying round , finals )
U17 (UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying round , finals )
League competitions
Level 1 Levels 2–4 Levels 5–6 Levels 7–8 Levels 9–10
Combined Counties League (Premier , One )
East Midlands Counties League (level 10 only )
Eastern Counties League (Premier , One )
Essex Senior League (level 9 only )
Hellenic League (Premier , One East , One West )
Kent Invicta League (level 10 only )
Midland League (Premier , One )
North West Counties League (Premier , One )
Northern Counties East League (Premier , One )
Northern League (One , Two )
South West Peninsula League Premier Division (level 10 only )
Southern Combination League (One , Two )
Southern Counties East League (level 9 only )
Spartan South Midlands League (Premier , One )
United Counties League (Premier , One )
Wessex League (Premier , One )
West Midlands (Regional) League (level 10 only )
Western League (Premier , One )
Cup competitions
FA cups Football League cups
Youth competitions