NILE RANGER headed the extra-time winner as seventh-tier Kettering stunned League One Northampton to make the FA Cup second round.
Ranger, 33, once pocketed £10,000-a-week and says he could have been as good as Erling Haaland – but instead ended up unemployed after stints in jail.
https://twitter.com/BBCMOTD/status/1852796307095556160He was handed a career lifeline by Southern League Premier Central side Kettering last month.
And he made an instant impact with a towering header to stun their more illustrious local rivals.
Cobblers star Connor Johnson had netted in the first-half own goal to hand Kettering the lead before Luca Miller levelled to send the game to extra time.
Thrilled Ranger said: “It’s special, especially where we’re coming from.
“Obviously our tier of football is quite low, so coming to Northampton, it’s a derby as well. Look what it means to the fans. It’s a lot.
“I’m trying to be humble. I’m getting old now.
“Obviously, I went down a level to show everyone I’m still hungry. It feels good for myself as well.”
Ranger rose highest to head home the winner in the 92nd minute at the Sixfields Stadium.
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He is not the only former Premier League star at Kettering with Gary Hooper and Marvin Sordell both also on the books.
The result was a huge scalp for Kettering and Northampton are four divisions higher than the Southern League Premier Division Central side.
Gainsborough will be the lowest-ranked side in tonight’s FA Cup second-round draw after a penalty shoot-out victory following a 4-4 draw with eighth-tier Hesnesford.
The Northern Premier League strugglers recovered from 3-0 down to force extra-time with an added time leveller from Will Lancaster.
Seventh-tier Trinity fell behind again before levelling — then won 5-4 on penalties to reach the second round for the first time in 72 years.
Gainsborough boss Russ Wilcox said: “I’ve never been involved in anything like that. In the penalty shoot-out we had three chances to win it and three chances to lose it.”
And National League strugglers Wealdstone pulled off a shock by winning 1-0 at League Two Grimsby with Alex Reid’s 90th-minute strike.
The striker said: “The gaffer said show respect but believe in yourselves.”
Oldham overcame the one-division gap to League Two Tranmere to beat Rovers 2-1 at Prenton Park.
National League Dagenham also beat League Two opposition with Dion Pereira’s second-half penalty clinching a 1-0 win at Crewe.
Daggers boss Ben Strevens said: “It’s an amazing day for us. The scenes at the end are what we do it for.”
Seventh-tier Harborough are in the second round for the first time after a 4-1 win at National League South Tonbridge.
Here are all of the results from the FA Cup first round...
Still to play
Paul Malone gave the Southern League Premier Central side the lead before Ben Stephens (two) and Danny Forbes sealed it.
Northern Premier League Guiseley gave League One Stevenage a scare before finally going out on penalties.
Will Longbottom’s equaliser for the non league outfit made it 1-1 but keeper Murphy Cooper made two saves to help win the shoot-out 5-4.
Maidstone’s hopes of another memorable Cup run ended with a 3-0 defeat at Solihull Moors.
Josh Magennis scored a hat-trick for Exeter in the League One side’s 5-3 win over National League Barnet.
And National League North outfit Rushall Olympic finished with ten men with Luke Benbow sent off for two bookings as they were beaten 2-0 at home by League Two Accrington.
