The FA Cup sponsored by E.ON
Second Round Qualifying
Saturday 30 September 2006
Player of the Round
Vote in our online poll on the homepage - Click here
Third Round Qualifying Draw - Click here



This weekend's FA Cup Second Qualifying Round ties had 160 teams battling it out for a place in the next round, as well as for another £3,750 from The FA Cup prize fund.

After the dust had settled, the panelists for The FA Cup Player of the Round, in partnership with E.ON have nominated five players for their outstanding achievements.

At the First Qualifying Round stage, Matt Lewis from Halesowen Town was voted Player of the Round by fans across the country, and he received his award on Saturday from BBC Radio Five Live's Mark Clemmit. Matt and his side progressed a step closer to the First Round Proper with a 3-1 home win over Chasetown, in front of 598 fans at The Grove.

After Five Live once again asked supporters up and down the country to text in their nominations from the weekend's games, Mark has put forward Nuneaton Borough's Gary McPhee, who scored an 18 minute second-half hat-trick in Borough's 6-0 away win at Oadby Town in a Midlands derby.

It is the second season in a row that a Borough player has been in the frame, after Gez Murphy pipped Theo Walcott for the Third Round Proper Player of the Round award last season.

Striker Charley Hearn is the nomination of David Watters, Editor of the Non League Paper. Hearn made seven league appearances for Millwall in the season they reached the 2004 Cup Final, but now he is plying his trade for Fisher Athletic, who groundshare with Dulwich Hamlet.

On Saturday, Hearn scored a brace, including an 'unstoppable volley', one of three players in his side to do so, as they ran out 7-1 winners at home to Sittingbourne.

Arron Benstead the Haverhill Rovers goalkeeper was outstanding in their 1-O home win over Eastbourne Borough, and is the nomination of Walter Gammie from The Times. The Eastern Counties Division One side achieved a big shock against the East Sussex side who had enjoyed a strong start in the Conference South this season. Benstead made two smart saves early in the game to see his side become the lowest ranked team into the Third Qualifying Round, thanks to Paul Shaw's goal.

Danny Toronczak of Ossett Albion scored the two goals in Ossett Albion's 2-1 victory over Workington, which constituted a shock victory, earning the nomination of The Daily Telegraph's Ricky George. Two goals in two minutes from Toronczak saw the UniBond League Division One side through at the expense of fourth placed Nationwide North Workington.

The final nomination, Kettering Town's Craig Westcarr is from Nick Horler, Managing Director Retail of E.ON UK.

The Northamptonshire side saw off Yaxley of the United Counties League 5-1, with Westcarr netting two goals, alongside Darren Caskey, Luke Graham and a Lee Blewett own goal. Westcarr is a former England U16 and U18 international who started his career at Nottingham Forest.

With the talent at Rockingham Road, he will be hoping to fire the side back into the Conference National this season, as well as embarking on a long cup run. The crowd of 1066 who saw Kettering through to the next round was the third highest of the weekend, demonstrating the fanbase that may get voting for Craig over the next week.

Voting closes at 9am on Monday 9 October, with the winning player set for a fantastic prize. As well as an engraved silver salver, the winner will get to donate £500 of football equipment to a local school, courtesy of E.ON, and will also be invited to the 2007 FA Cup Final, along with a guest, to receive VIP hospitality and receive an introduction to the crowd on the pitch at half-time.