Exeter City overcame fellow FA Women's National League outfit Hashtag United in a comfortable 2-0 victory in the Women’s FA Cup first round’s televised game.
Charlotte Whitmore’s brace proved the difference in Tiverton, but Macey Nicholls almost levelled the game in the first half when her shot cannoned back off the crossbar.
Hashtag should have pulled one back, but Natasha Snelling was offside when poking the ball home on the line.
Exeter's fellow Devonians Plymouth Argyle were on the wrong side of a cupset as Millwall Lionesses, who sit two tiers below them, won on penalties at Home Park after a 1-1 draw.
Another third-tier side, Derby County, avoided a shock in the Midlands at Sutton Coldfield Town of Tier 4's Division One Midlands.
Emily Joyce put the Ewes in front before Steph Kingston equalised to send the game to penalties.
Derby were faultless in the shootout to win it 5-3, with Minnie Wilson notching the winning kick.
Portsmouth were one of the day’s most impressive performers, beating FA Women's National League Southern Premier Division rivals Cheltenham Town 4-0, going two goals up in 12 minutes thanks to Kerry Beattie and Zoe Barratt.
Liverpool Feds, Stoke City, Fulham and Boldmere St Michael’s all enjoyed comfortable wins against lower league opposition.
And Norwich City and Real Bedford hit five goals in their home ties against Redditch Borough and Dussindale & Hellesdon respectively.
Southern Premier Division pace-setters Oxford United beat AFC Portchester 5-0, while Moneyfields, Keynsham Town, Crewe Alexandra, and Stockport County will all be in the hat after strong performances too.
But fellow third-tier side West Bromwich Albion were upset at home by Notts County, who sneaked through to the second round with a narrow 1-0 win.
In the battle of university towns, Loughborough Lightning beat a brave Nottingham Trent University 5-2, showing their class against a team three divisions below themselves. Nottingham Trent were one of eight sixth tier teams left in the competition.
Cornish side St Agnes fell 2-0 to Portishead Town, while Andover New Street stayed within one goal of fourth tier Maidenhead United for 80 minutes, before two late goals sent the Berkshire team into the hat with a 3-0 win.
And in one of the day’s biggest mismatches on paper, FA Women’s National League Southern Premier Divisions title challengers, AFC Bournemouth overcame sixth-tier Feniton 4-0 thanks to two goals from Clarabella Hall.
As such, hopes of progression from sixth tier sides rest with Wigan Athletic and Workington Town, whose matches were both postponed due to waterlogged pitches.
Another of the day’s standout matches, an all-Northern Premier Division clash between Middlesbrough and Huddersfield Town, was postponed, as storms Austen and Boelo wreaked havoc on pitches up and down the country.
