MAN OF THE DAY
Chief Spartan Robbie Dale came so close to undoing Birmingham. It drew attention in unlikely places – @Blyth_Spartans briefly earning a follow from @barackobama.
Runner-up
David Raya Martin pulled off a human-octopus impression in goal for Southport. It took a penalty to beat him.
Bullies of the day
West Brom laid on an unromantic mauling of Gateshead – and have now scored 20 goals in their past four FA Cup home games against non-league sides.
Most excited fans
Those fully-grown Blyth Spartans supporters who turned up looking like low-budget extras from the film 300.
Best managerial start
Forget Tony Pulis’s 7-0 win: Phil Neville and Paul Scholes led Salford City to a 2-1 victory over Kendal Town after taking temporary charge of the Evo-Stik Division One North side.
Hype watch
After weeks of buildup, the release of an FA Cup poem and reruns of classic Cup matches, third-round Saturday finally arrived - with only 17 matches (53% of the round’s ties), and none of them on live TV.
Curse of the day
With no real upsets to speak of, Justin Bieber provided the day’s most unlikely moment – turning up in Turks and Caicos wearing an Everton shirt. Bieber’s previous sporting endorsements haven’t gone well: the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers all going to pieces after he backed them.
