FA Trophy 2023/2024 - A Review

As we approach the FA Trophy Third Round, we take a look back at last year's tournament that culminated in Gateshead winning.

From the very first round of last year's competition, which started on a Friday night in September 2023, Bowers and Pitsea emerged victorious in a 3-1 win over Gorleston, with 319 clubs in last season's competition.

Several step-eight sides went on a very good run to Round One, where five all-tier eight-round ties took place in the First Round of the competition proper,

Everyone knows what happened on that day under the arch at Wembley with Gateshead and Solihull Moors, but so many different clubs, supporters and people have wondrous stories about the Premier Non-League club competition.

From the step eight clubs' fairytale rounds to Coalville Town's mesmerising run, with the then Southern League Central side having their record run to the quarter-finals in the competition.

A 4-3 penalty shootout victory over Bath City in Round 4, which followed a third round tie against Walsall Wood, which, for one reason or another, was played on the third attempt on January 9th, after originally being scheduled for December 9th but being postponed twice, for various reasons, before eventually coming to an end away at Macclesfield in front of 2,500 people.

Several National League clubs were run close or were beaten in Round Four, with Hampton and Richmond Borough pulling off a stunning penalty shootout win over Hartlepool, Macclesfield thumping Dorking Wanderers 5-0, and Bishops Stortford and Aveley also picking up big wins against Aldershot Town and AFC Fylde respectively.

In Round Five, Coalville and Macclesfield continued their fairytale runs by beating higher-tier opposition before being drawn together in an all-step seven quarter-final, where the Silkmen would prevail.

Gateshead had been quietly going about their cup competition business, having beaten Rochdale 5-1 in Round Three before needing penalties to overcome Weston Super Mare in Round Four, before Hereford and Peterborough Sports fell victim to the Magpies ahead of a semi-final showdown with the lowest ranked side left in the competition, Macclesfield.

A 2-1 win in front of 3,000 people set up a date with destiny at Wembley against Solihull Moors and a chance to taste FA Trophy glory for the very first time.

Last year's final was the second time Moors had played at Wembley in six days, having been beaten by Bromley in the National League playoff final on penalties, with the same fate awaiting the Moors in the trophy.

Reagan Booty put the Magpies in front on the stroke of halftime, but they were pegged back when Mark Beck dived in at the far post to put the ball into the Gateshead net and equalise for Solihull.

In Extra Time, Beck looked destined to be the hero as he smashed a penalty home four minutes before the interval in extra time, but on loan, Derby County winger Dejuane Brown levelled the tie-up to send it to penalties, with the 18 year old eventually scoring the winning spot kick to win the trophy for Gateshead.