ALI C SHOOTS STAINES INTO FA CUP SECOND ROUND Five league sides were knocked out of the FA Cup by non-league opponents in yesterday’s first round. Staines Town, home to Sacha Baron Cohen’s Ali G, won 1-0 at League Two Shrewsbury thanks to Ali C. Ali Chaaban put the Blue Square South side ahead in the 21st minute. The most dramatic victory was at KitKat Crescent where League Two Crewe conceded twice in the final four minutes to lose 3-2 against York City, of the Blue Square Premier. Joel Grant put Crewe in front and, although Richard Brodie equalised, Calvin Zola restored the visitors’ lead. Richard Pacquette levelled for York after the break before Brodie fired the winner — two minutes from time. Bath City, of the Blue Square South, beat League Two strugglers Grimsby 2-0 thanks to Chris Holland and Darren Edwards. Jack Midson gave Blue Square Premier leaders Oxford United a 1-0 win against League One Yeovil, while Kettering, third in the same division, won 1-0 at League One Hartlepool thanks to Moses Ashikodi. Luton, relegated from League Two last season, led 3-0 against Rochdale before being pegged back 3-3. Late strikes helped two other Blue Square sides into today’s second-round draw. Peter Winn’s volley gave Gateshead a 2-2 draw against League One Brentford, while Charlie Griffin earned a 1-1 draw for Stevenage at League Two Port Vale.

RANGERS CLOSE IN AT THE TOP Rangers moved to within a point of Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premier League thanks to yesterday’s 2-1 victory over St Mirren. Kris Boyd moved out on his own as the league’s top scorer on seven goals with the decisive double at Ibrox. With leaders Celtic in action at Falkirk today, Hibernian wasted a chance to join them at the top when they were held 0-0 by Hearts in the Edinburgh derby. Hamilton’s Guillaume Beuzelin was sent off in the first half but they twice took the lead against Motherwell, who missed a penalty before finding two equalisers, on-loan Everton striker Lucas Jutkiewicz scoring his fourth of the season to tie the game with three minutes left. Dundee United’s Damian Casalinuovo scored both goals in a 2-0 win at Kilmarnock.

READING HOST HEROES’ RETURN Former England stars Paul Gascoigne, Andy Cole and Les Ferdinand line up alongside Test cricketers Darren Gough and Mark Ramprakash at Reading’s Madejski stadium on Thursday for the Heroes Cup match against a Rest of the World XI. Proceeds will go to Help For Heroes, the charity that helps Britain’s injured servicemen. Contact Reading box office on 0844 249 1871 or visit www.readingfc.co.uk CROCKED RONALDO TO GET PORTUGAL CALL Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz today intends to call up Cristiano Ronaldo, inset, for Saturday’s World Cup playoff against Bosnia-Herzegovina, despite medical reports saying the Real Madrid forward will be out of action for at least two more weeks with an ankle injury. Ronaldo has missed Madrid’s last seven matches after hurting his right ankle during the Champions League match with Marseilles on September 30, and aggravating the injury playing for Portugal against Hungary on October 10. Queiroz, a former Real Madrid coach, says: ‘I’m going to call up Cristiano [today and I hope that he can help us, even if it is only for a few minutes.’

FUNNY YOU SHOULD SAY THAT . . .

‘The fact we didn’t play for three months during the summer was a massive help’ — defender Luke Chambers explains the secret behind Nottingham Forest’s seven-month unbeaten away record

THIS WEEK’S FOOTBALL ON TV

TODAY Hull City v Stoke City (PL) 1pm, Sky Sports 1, ko 1.30pm; Chelsea v Man Utd (PL) 3.30pm, Sky Sports 1, ko 4pm; Northwich Vic v Charlton (FA) 1.15pm, ITV1, ko 1.20pm; Falkirk v Celtic (SPL) 12.30pm, Sky Sports 3, ko 12.45pm.

TOMORROW Liverpool v Birmingham (PL) 7pm, ESPN, ko 8pm; Barnsley v Sheff Utd (Ch’ship) 7.30pm, Sky Sports 1, 7.45pm.

TUESDAY Leeds v Grimsby (JP Trophy) 7.30pm, Sky Sports 1, ko 7.45pm.

WEDNESDAY Southampton v Charlton (JP Trophy) 7.30pm, Sky Sports 1, ko 7.45pm.

SATURDAY Brazil v England (Fr) 4.15pm, ITV1, ko 5pm; Rep Ireland v France (WCQ) 7.30pm, Sky Sports 1, ko 8pm; New Zealand v Bahrain (WCQ) 7am, British Eurosport, ko 7am; Wales v Scotland (Fr) 2.30pm, Sky Sports 1, ko 8pm; N Ireland v Serbia (Fr) 5.15pm, Sky Sports 1, ko 5.30pm; Huddersfield v Wycombe (Lg1) 12noon, Sky Sports 1, ko 12.05pm.