Giant Killing  

Giant Killing acts are a huge part of the romance involved in the FA Cup and Nonleague football history. 

It is always interesting to look back at some of the great cup ties of the past involving NonLeague sides against the giants of the professional game.   

There have been many amazing games over the years with great victories and heart-breaking defeats for NonLeague clubs and the following is just a sampling of the many remarkable cup-ties that the early rounds of the FA Cup have delivered. 

In 1970 Don Revie’s Leeds United were the First Division champions and undisputedly the best team in the country.  In the Fourth Round of that years FA Cup competition Leeds were drawn away to Isthmian League Sutton United who had reached this stage without encountering Football League opposition. 

Somehow 14,000 fans managed to pack themselves into tiny Gander Green hoping to witness a miracle of a giant killing act.   

That miracle never happened but the NonLeague side gave a fine account of themselves despite the 6-0 scoreline.  For Leeds the cup would end in agony that year with a defeat by Chelsea in a replayed Final. 

1977 was a history-making year for Northwich Victoria who reached the Fourth Round proper for the first time since 1884.   

The Vics had already overcome League opposition in Rochdale and Peterborough but their Third Round tie with Watford was a classic game of giant killing cup football.  There were 9,000 at the Drill Field as Fourth Division Watford took a 2-1 half-time lead before a second half onslaught for the NonLeague team who came from behind to win 3-2 with Corrigan’s winner coming in the last ten minutes of a pulsating game. 

Cup glory can be earned no matter what the result but Isthmian League champions Hendon earned all the plaudits from what may have been their best ever performance in earning a draw away to the mighty Newcastle United in 1974.   

Newcastle would go on to reach the FA Cup Final that year but they almost didn’t make it past the Third Round as Hendon threatened a repeat of the medicine Hereford had forced the Magpies to swallow two years earlier.   

Newcastle had started the game well with Malcolm MacDonald going close before Pat Howard opened the scoring.  The NonLeague team did well to limit the damage and at only a goal down the stage was set for a second-half fight-back.   

Hendon skipper Rod Haider notched the inevitable equaliser but the Isthmian side couldn’t force the winner.  Newcastle made no mistake in the replay at Watford’s Vicarage Road running out 4-0 victors though it was only in the closing stages that they made the game safe. 

1981 saw Enfield taking over Tottenham’s White Hart Lane ground to stage their Fourth Round replay with Barnsley. 

Enfield had earned a second chance after a dramatic last minute equaliser at Oakwell and, with the NonLeague side already having beaten League opposition in Hereford and Port Vale, 35,000 poured into the Lane to see another display of giant killing.   

But, despite almost constant pressure with the woodwork being rattled on numerous occasions, Enfield couldn’t breakthrough and, thanks to breakaway goals,  Barnsley somehow managed to run out 3-0 winners.