Football tournament season
2020–21 FA Trophy Country England Wales Dates Qualifying Rounds: 26 September 2020 – 31 October 2020 Competition Proper: 14 November 2020 – 22 May 2021Teams Qualifying: 226 Competition Proper: 67 + (74 from Qualifying) Total Teams: 293Defending champions Harrogate Town Champions Hornchurch (1st title) Runners-up Hereford Top goal scorer(s) Liam Nash (5 goals)
The 2020–21 FA Trophy (known for sponsorship reasons as the Buildbase FA Trophy) was the 52nd season of the FA Trophy , an annual football competition for teams at levels 5-8 of the English National League System . In a change in format from previous years, the competition consisted of three qualifying rounds, and seven proper rounds. Teams from level 8 entered into the first and second qualifying rounds, level 7 into the third qualifying round, level 6 (the National League North and National League South ) into round 2, and level 5 (the National League ) into round 3.[1]
All matches were in a single-match knockout format, with the winner decided by penalties if the match was drawn after 90 minutes, apart from the Final where the winner was decided by extra-time and penalties if the match was drawn.[2] This was a change from previous seasons where replays were used and where the semi-finals were scheduled as two-legged; the changes reflected the late start of the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom .[3] The final was a single-match held at Wembley Stadium .
Calendar [ ]
The calendar for the 2020-21 Buildbase FA Trophy, as announced by The Football Association .[4]
Round
Main Date
Number of Fixtures
Clubs Remaining
New Entries This Round
Losing Club
Winning Club
First Round Qualifying
26 September 2020
17
293 → 276
34
£450
£1,500
Second Round Qualifying
17 October 2020
61
276 → 215
105
£575
£2,250
Third Round Qualifying
31 October 2020
74
215 → 141
87
£625
£2,450
First Round Proper
8 December 2020
37
141 → 104
0
£775
£3,000
Second Round Proper
15 December 2020
40
104 → 64
43
£1,000
£3,750
Third Round Proper
19 December 2020
32
64 → 32
24
£1,250
£4,500
Fourth Round Proper
16 January 2021
16
32 → 16
0
£1,500
£5,250
Fifth Round Proper
6 February 2021
8
16 → 8
0
£1,750
£6,000
Quarter-Finals
27 February 2021
4
8 → 4
0
£2,000
£7,500
Semi-Finals
27 March 2021
2
4 → 2
0
£5,000
£15,000
Final
8 May 2021
1
2 → 1
0
£30,000
£60,000
First Round Qualifying [ ]
The draw was made on 18 August 2020.[5] All results taken from The Football Association website.[6]
Second Round Qualifying [ ]
The draw was made on 18 August 2020.[5]
Third Round Qualifying [ ]
The draw was made on 19 October 2020. Due to the withdrawal of Merthyr Town from the competition, there was an odd number of teams competing in this round. As a result, Willand Rovers were drawn to receive a bye to the First Round Proper.[14]
First Round Proper [ ]
The draw was made on 2 November 2020.[20] Originally scheduled for 14 November 2020, the First Round Proper ties were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tie
Home Team (Tier)
Score
Away Team (Tier)
Att.
Saturday 5 December 2020
32
Moneyfields (8)
1–5
Truro City (7)
237
34
Evesham United (8)
1–1 (5–4 p )
Bideford (8)
309
35
Swindon Supermarine (7)
3–2
Dorchester Town (7)
289
36
Poole Town (7)
P–P
Willand Rovers (8)
Tuesday 8 December 2020
1
Ashton United (7)
2–1
South Shields (7)
0
2
Runcorn Linnets (8)
2–2 (2–3 p )
Morpeth Town (7)
270
3
Witton Albion (7)
P–P
Bamber Bridge (7)
4
Marske United (8)
3–1
Warrington Town (7)
0
5
Nantwich Town (7)
3–1
Workington (8)
272
6
Marine (8)
P–P
Hyde United (7)
7
Buxton (7)
1–2
City of Liverpool (8)
0
8
Royston Town (7)
3–1
Tamworth (7)
179
9
Grantham Town (7)
P–P
St Ives Town (7)
10
Coleshill Town (8)
5–2
Matlock Town (7)
0
11
St Neots Town (8)
3–1
Kings Langley (7)
270
12
Hitchin Town (7)
3–0
Mickleover Sports (7)
203
13
Marlow (8)
1–4
Nuneaton Borough (7)
135
14
Biggleswade Town (7)
0–0 (3–5 p )
Bedford Town (8)
201
15
AFC Rushden & Diamonds (7)
1–5
Peterborough Sports (7)
252
16
Kidsgrove Athletic (8)
P–P
Stamford (8)
17
Basford United (7)
5–0
Rushall Olympic (7)
0
18
Welwyn Garden City (8)
3–1
Hednesford Town (7)
119
19
Aveley (8)
1–0
Hastings United (8)
139
Second Round Proper [ ]
The draw was made on 9 December 2020.[23]
Tie
Home Team (Tier)
Score
Away Team (Tier)
Att.
Saturday 12 December 2020
19
Hitchin Town (7)
0–4
Peterborough Sports (7)
385
20
Basford United (7)
3–0
Felixstowe & Walton United (8)
247
39
Swindon Supermarine (7)
0–0 (5–4 p )
Carshalton Athletic (7)
221
Monday 14 December 2020
13
Evesham United (8)
0–3
Boston United (6)
370
Tuesday 15 December 2020
1
Spennymoor Town (6)
6–2
Marske United (8)
0
2
Witton Albion (7)
2–5
Nantwich Town (7)
351
3
Chester (6)
3–1
Bradford (Park Avenue) (6)
552
4
Guiseley (6)
2–0
Chorley (6)
0
5
Gateshead (6)
2–3
Farsley Celtic (6)
0
6
Ashton United (7)
3–3 (4–2 p )
York City (6)
0
7
Curzon Ashton (6)
1–4
AFC Fylde (6)
0
9
Marine (8)
0–1
Southport (6)
400
10
Blyth Spartans (6)
W/O
Morpeth Town (7)
Morpeth Town awarded a walkover due to Blyth Spartans withdrawing after a positive test for COVID-19 within their camp.[24]
11
Stamford (8)
1–0
Kidderminster Harriers (6)
0
12
Brackley Town (6)
3–2
Royston Town (7)
159
14
Coleshill Town (8)
1–10
AFC Telford United (6)
0
15
Leamington (6)
5–0
St Ives Town (7)
0
16
Alfreton Town (6)
W/O
Bedford Town (8)
Alfreton Town awarded a walkover due to several Bedford Town players testing positive for COVID-19 , forcing them to forfeit.[25]
17
Hereford (6)
3–0
St Neots Town (8)
285
18
Kettering Town (6)
5–1
Nuneaton Borough (7)
177
21
Gloucester City (6)
4–2
Needham Market (7)
808
Third Round Proper [ ]
The draw was made on 9 December with ties scheduled to be played on 19 December. Stamford were awarded a bye due to the withdrawal of Macclesfield Town .[27]
Tie
Home Team (Tier)
Score
Away Team (Tier)
Att.
Saturday 19 December 2020
1
Darlington (6)
2–2 (5–3 p )
AFC Telford United (6)
0
2
Peterborough Sports (7)
3–2
Basford United (7)
0
3
FC Halifax Town (5)
3–3 (4–2 p )
Hartlepool United (5)
0
4
Alfreton Town (6)
P–P
King's Lynn Town (5)
5
Solihull Moors (5)
4–0
Farsley Celtic (6)
0
6
Wrexham (5)
0–0 (5–6 p )
Leamington (6)
0
7
Altrincham (5)
2–1
Chester (6)
0
Match played at Chester.
8
Stockport County (5)
3–1
Guiseley (6)
0
9
Ashton United (7)
1–2
Kettering Town (6)
0
10
Spennymoor Town (6)
2–2 (4–5 p )
Southport (6)
0
11
Morpeth Town (7)
0–3
Notts County (5)
0
12
Nantwich Town (7)
0–1
Hereford (6)
433
13
Chesterfield (5)
0–0 (4–3 p )
Brackley Town (6)
0
14
Boston United (6)
1–1 (4–2 p )
AFC Fylde (6)
0
15
Dorking Wanderers (6)
3–1
Barnet (5)
0
16
Weymouth (5)
3–2
Maidenhead United (5)
306
18
Chesham United (7)
0–1
Torquay United (5)
0
19
Dagenham & Redbridge (5)
5–2
Ebbsfleet United (6)
0
Tie
Home Team (Tier)
Score
Away Team (Tier)
Att.
20
St Albans City (6)
0–2
Sutton United (5)
0
21
Dulwich Hamlet (6)
1–2
Hornchurch (7)
0
22
Welwyn Garden City (8)
1–5
Aldershot Town (5)
0
23
Havant & Waterlooville (6)
1–0
Braintree Town (6)
0
24
Bath City (6)
4–0
Swindon Supermarine (7)
0
25
Dartford (6)
0–1
Haringey Borough (7)
0
28
Woking (5)
2–1
Dover Athletic (5)
0
29
Maldon & Tiptree (8)
P–P
Gloucester City (6)
31
Wealdstone (5)
4–3
Eastleigh (5)
0
Stamford (8)
Bye
Tuesday 22 December 2020
4
Alfreton Town (6)
1–3
King's Lynn Town (5)
26
Bromley (5)
2–0
Hemel Hempstead Town (6)
Wednesday 23 December 2020
17
Oxford City (6)
W/O
Truro City (7)
Oxford City awarded a walkover due to a Truro City player testing positive for COVID-19 , forcing them to forfeit.[28]
30
Maidstone United (6)
W/O
Frome Town (8)
Maidstone United awarded a walkover due to Frome Town withdrawing.
27
Boreham Wood (5)
W/O
Yeovil Town (5)
Boreham Wood awarded a walkover due to Yeovil Town players showing symptoms for COVID-19 , forcing them to forfeit.[29]
29
Maldon & Tiptree (8)
1–7
Gloucester City (6)
Fourth Round Proper [ ]
The draw was made on 21 December, with ties initially scheduled to be played on 16 January.[30]
Tie
Home Team (Tier)
Score
Away Team (Tier)
Att.
Saturday 16 January 2021
1
Kettering Town (6)
P–P
Leamington (6)
2
FC Halifax Town (5)
P–P
Southport (6)
3
Aldershot Town (5)
P–P
Solihull Moors (5)
4
Weymouth (5)
0–1
Darlington (6)
0
5
Sutton United (5)
3–1
Dagenham & Redbridge (5)
0
6
Stockport County (5)
1–2
Notts County (5)
0
7
Maidstone United (6)
2–1
Dorking Wanderers (6)
0
8
Wealdstone (5)
P–P
Gloucester City (6)
9
Boreham Wood (5)
P–P
Torquay United (5)
10
Havant & Waterlooville (6)
W/O
Altrincham (5)
Havant & Waterlooville awarded a walkover due to an Altrincham player testing positive for COVID-19 , forcing them to forfeit.[31]
11
Boston United (6)
P–P
Chesterfield (5)
12
Stamford (8)
P–P
Hereford (6)
13
Bath City (6)
0–1
Peterborough Sports (7)
0
Tie
Home Team (Tier)
Score
Away Team (Tier)
Att.
14
Hornchurch (7)
1–1 (3–0 p )
King's Lynn Town (5)
0
15
Bromley (5)
P–P
Woking (5)
16
Oxford City (6)
4–2
Haringey Borough (7)
0
Monday 18 January 2021
8
Wealdstone (5)
3–1
Gloucester City (6)
0
Tuesday 19 January 2021
1
Kettering Town (6)
0–3
Leamington (6)
2
FC Halifax Town (5)
1–2
Southport (6)
3
Aldershot Town (5)
3–2
Solihull Moors (5)
9
Boreham Wood (5)
0–4
Torquay United (5)
12
Stamford (8)
0–2
Hereford (6)
15
Bromley (5)
1–1 (6–7 p )
Woking (5)
Wednesday 20 January 2021
11
Boston United (6)
1–1 (1–4 p )
Chesterfield (5)
Fifth Round Proper [ ]
The draw was made on 18 January, with ties initially scheduled to be played on 6 February.[32]
Tie
Home Team (Tier)
Score
Away Team (Tier)
Att.
Saturday 6 February 2021
1
Sutton United (5)
0–1
Woking (5)
0
2
Aldershot Town (5)
W/O
Chesterfield (5)
Aldershot Town awarded a walkover due to a Chesterfield player testing positive for COVID-19 , forcing them to forfeit.[33]
3
Darlington (6)
4–1
Wealdstone (5)
0
4
Hereford (6)
1–0
Leamington (6)
0
5
Havant & Waterlooville (6)
2–2 (2–4 p )
Notts County (5)
0
6
Southport (6)
0–2
Torquay United (5)
0
7
Oxford City (6)
2–0
Peterborough Sports (7)
0
8
Hornchurch (7)
5–4
Maidstone United (6)
0
Quarter-Finals [ ]
The draw was made on 8 February 2021, with ties scheduled to be played on 27 February.[34]
Tie
Home Team (Tier)
Score
Away Team (Tier)
Att.
Saturday 27 February 2021
1
Notts County (5)
3–1
Oxford City (6)
0
2
Darlington (6)
1–2
Hornchurch (7)
0
3
Aldershot Town (5)
1–1 (3–5 p )
Hereford (6)
0
4
Woking (5)
1–0
Torquay United (5)
0
Semi-Finals [ ]
The draw was made on 1 March 2021, with ties scheduled to be played on 27 March.[35]
Final [ ]
The final was held on Saturday 22 May 2021.[36]
References [ ]
^ "FA Trophy List of Exemptions" . The FA. Retrieved 24 September 2020 .
^ "Rules of the FA Challenge Trophy Competition" . The FA. Retrieved 28 March 2021 .
^ "Ollie Bayliss Tweet" . Twitter. Retrieved 4 September 2020 .
^ "The Buildbase FA Trophy Match Dates, 20-21" . The Football Association . 4 September 2020.
^ a b "First two qualifying round draws released for 2020-21 Buildbase FA Trophy & Buildbase FA Vase" . The Football Association . 18 August 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2020 .
^ The FA Trophy - Results - The Buildbase FA Trophy
^ "Club Statement Regarding FA Trophy Fixture" . Prescot Cables F.C. 16 October 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020 .
^ Grayson, James (27 October 2020). "Taylor to face old club after Brighouse reinstated into Trophy" . Non League Yorkshire. Retrieved 28 October 2020 .
^ Candlin, Alex (29 October 2020). "FA reveal reason for Kendal Town's removal from the FA Trophy" . The Westmorland Gazette. Retrieved 30 October 2020 .
^ Simpson, David (16 October 2020). "Club Statement" . Cleethorpes Town F.C. Retrieved 18 October 2020 .
^ "Droylsden Club Statement" . Retrieved 6 August 2020 .
^ Mullins, Paul (14 October 2020). "FA Trophy withdrawal" . Chasetown F.C. Retrieved 18 October 2020 .
^ Eckett, Glen (16 October 2020). "Ramsgate Match Cancelled" . Canvey Island F.C. Retrieved 18 October 2020 .
^ "FA Trophy third round qualifying draw made" . The Football Association . 19 October 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020 .
^ "Club Statement - Re FA Trophy game" . Scarborough Athletic F.C. 29 October 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2020 .
^ "UPDATE: FA Trophy tie" . Ilkeston Town F.C. 30 October 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2020 .
^ "Now Cinderford Forced to Pull Out of the Trophy" . Cinderford Town F.C. 30 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020 .
^ Pearce, Ian (30 October 2020). "Saturday's FA Trophy game OFF" . Thame Football Partnership. Retrieved 30 October 2020 .
^ Parker, Sebastian (30 October 2020). "GAME OFF: Yate Town v Bideford" . Yate Town F.C. Retrieved 30 October 2020 .
^ "Latest Buildbase FA Trophy and FA Vase draws have been made" . The Football Association . 2 November 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2020 .
^ "Season Paused and FA Trophy Updated" . Margate F.C. 3 December 2020. Retrieved 5 December 2020 .
^ "Walton Casuals withdraw from FA Trophy" . NonLeagueDaily.com. 8 December 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2020 .
^ "Draws released for first and second rounds of Buildbase FA Trophy" . The Football Association . 9 December 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2020 .
^ "Club Statement : Blyth forfeit FA Trophy after positive Covid-19 test" . www.blythspartans.com . 15 December 2020.
^ Smiles, James (16 December 2020). "FA Trophy Statement" . Bedford Town F.C. Retrieved 19 December 2020 .
^ White, Seb (11 December 2020). "Truro City's FA Trophy tie with Oxford City is cancelled after positive test" . Hampton & Richmond Borough F.C. Retrieved 15 December 2020 .
^ "DRAWS RELEASED FOR FIRST AND SECOND ROUNDS OF BUILDBASE FA TROPHY" . www.thefa.com . 9 December 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2020 .
^ "Club Statement Regarding FA Trophy Fixture" . BBC. 16 October 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2020 .
^ "Club Statement Regarding FA Trophy Fixture" . BBC. 23 December 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020 .
^ "THE DRAW FOR THE FOURTH ROUND OF THE BUILDBASE FA TROPHY WAS MADE ON MONDAY" . www.thefa.com . 21 December 2020.
^ Edwards, John (14 January 2021). "Wembley dreams suffer a COVID ko" . Altrincham F.C. Retrieved 15 January 2021 .
^ "BUILDBASE FA TROPHY FIFTH ROUND DRAW RELEASED" . www.thefa.com . 18 January 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2021 .
^ "Spireites withdraw from Buildbase FA Trophy" . chesterfield-fc.co.uk . 8 February 2021.
^ "SEE HOW THE BUILDBASE FA TROPHY QUARTER FINAL LINE-UP LOOKS FOLLOWING MONDAY'S DRAW" . www.thefa.com . 8 February 2021.
^ "The draw for the Buildbase FA Trophy semi-final was made on Monday afternoon" . www.thefa.com . 1 March 2021. Retrieved 3 March 2021 .
^ https://www.thefa.com/news/2021/mar/11/2020-buildbase-fa-trophy-vase-finals-rescheduled-for-wembley-20210311
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