A mixture of league and Trophy action took place on Tuesday night, with four fixtures from each competition and a further Blue Square Premier meeting on Wednesday.

The Trophy ties were all Second Round Repays, and fifteen of the sixteen teams have now confirmed their place in the last sixteen. Three of the winners were Conference ties, including York City who edged past Newport County.

Newport are comfortably clear at the top of the Conference South and are managed by former Premier League forward Dean Holdsworth, briefly of Cambridge United. However the Welsh side fell 1-0 to Richard Pacquette's goal just before the fixture went to extra time, as last year's finalists progressed.

Cambridge United have less pedigree in the competition, and their 2-0 win at Eastbourne marks the first time The U's have ever made it past the Second Round. They are joined by Tamworth after their 2-1 win at home to Gainsborough Trinity and Worcester City, 4-0 winners at Carshalton Athletic.

In the league, Kettering climbed back into the playoff places with a 2-0 win at Gateshead, who find themselves four points adrift of safety after Forest Green struck a late winner to overcome Hayes and Yeading 3-2.

Grays remain in difficulty after being trounced 4-1 at Kidderminster. Debutant Jamie Guy scored a penalty for the Essex side but was overshadowed by new Harriers boss Steve Burr marking his first game in charge with a win. Rushden and Wrexham shared a goalless draw, and Rushden were overtaken in seventh place on Wednesday evening as Luton won 2-0 at Histon.

Saturday sees seven Third Round ties take place in the Trophy in addition to six league matches. With the worst of the weather hopefully now in the past, all Conference clubs now undertake the task of a congested fixture list in the closing months of the season.

Matt Ramsay