Bridlington Town's reward for beating Curzon Ashton is a home tie against National League North high-flyers Macclesfield. Scarborough head to 2024/25 FA Trophy Finalists Spennymoor Town.
For Bridlington Town, an afternoon packed with pure theatre at the HDM Energies Stadium concluded with Scott Kerr’s ten-man team defying the script, hitting a crucial 95th-minute penalty to earn a 2–2 draw against superior-tier Curzon Ashton before grabbing a dramatic 4–3 penalty shootout victory.
Prior to this magical autumn campaign, the competition yielded far more frustration than reward for the East Yorkshire outfit. Bridlington Town had been locked out of the first round proper since 2004, rendering this phase an elusive milestone.
For over two decades, preliminary stage blockades persistently halted their ambitions. The psychological barrier finally shattered in September, when the Seasiders outclassed local rivals Whitby Town in an emphatic 3–0 qualifying statement that laid the groundwork for their current heroics.
For older generations of fans, the club’s knockout reputation was defined almost exclusively by the FA Vase—the traditional venue for successes during their peak years.
Guided by manager Scott Kerr, the current squad has fully embraced the FA Trophy this season. The route to this landmark moment has relied on absolute determination:
- A gritty 3–2 win over Congleton Town, lit up by a brilliant captain's hat-trick from Ahmed Salam.
- A clinical 3–0 local derby victory over Whitby Town.
- Saturday’s epic comeback and nerve-shredding spot-kick drama to edge out Curzon Ashton.
Operating as the lowest-ranked club representing the region left in this season's tournament, the Seasiders have turned home turf into a stage for the spectacular and will relish the tie with Macclesfield on Saturday 14th November.
Scarborough Athletic have got an away tie, yet again, in their first game in this season's competition.
They will travel to the 2024/25 FA Trophy Finalists.
However, this season has been poor for Spenny in the league, seeing them rooted to the bottom of National League North.
The Glory Years: Scarborough FC Wows Wembley
Before its heart-breaking liquidation in 2007, the original Scarborough FC stood as a true heavyweight of the non-league world. Long before their historic 1987 automatic promotion to the Football League under Neil Warnock, Boro carved out a legendary reputation as kings of the FA Trophy.
During a golden era in the 1970s, the Seadogs booked a ticket to the old Wembley Stadium an incredible four times in just five seasons:
- 1973 Winners: Boro lifted their very first FA Trophy after an edge-of-the-seat 2–1 extra-time win over Wigan Athletic. Malcolm Leask struck first, before Malcolm Thompson wrote his name into club folklore with a dramatic winner in the 116th minute.
- 1975 Runners-Up: The Seadogs suffered a tough afternoon under the twin towers, falling to a heavy 4–0 loss against Matlock Town.
- 1976 Winners: In a five-goal thriller, Boro bounced back to squeeze past Stafford Rangers 3–2 after extra time, with John Woodall, Abbey, and Sean Marshall all finding the back of the net.
- 1977 Winners: A historic Wembley hat-trick was completed as Scarborough toppled Dagenham 2–1, firmly cementing their place as titans of the non-league game.
While recent seasons under the management of Jonathan Greening have been lit up by league success—including a memorable promotion to the National League North in 2022—Boro’s new generation has found the FA Trophy to be a highly competitive proving ground:
| Season | Round Eliminated | Knocked Out By | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013–14 | Third Qualifying Round | AFC Telford United | 0–6 |
| 2014–15 | First Qualifying Round | Darlington 1883 | 0–4 |
| 2015–16 | Preliminary Round | Kendal Town | 0–4 |
| 2016–17 | Preliminary Round | Shaw Lane AFC | 0–2 |
| 2017–18 | Preliminary Round | South Shields | 2–5 |
| 2018–19 | First Qualifying Round | Workington | 0–1 |
| 2019–20 | First Qualifying Round | Atherton Collieries | 2–3 |
| 2020–21 | Third Qualifying Round | Witton Albion (Forfeit) | SCR |
| 2021–22 | First Round Proper | Liversedge | 0–4 |
| 2022–23 | Second Round Proper | Marine | 0–1 |
| 2023–24 | Second Round Proper | Chorley | 0–1 |
| 2024–25 | Second Round Proper | Stockton Town | 1–3 |
| 2025–26 | Second Round Proper | Leek Town | 0–1 |
Could this be the year Scarborough Athletic finally progress in the competition, with no much local nostalgia for Boro fans?
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