The Vale ground was a "perfect quagmire"[5] and Brentwood protested the condition of the pitch before the match.

"[6] The Football Association upheld the protest and ordered a replay at a neutral venue (the County Ground in Derby), which ended 3–3.

[7] In the quarter-finals, the club lost at home to holders, and eventual winners, Blackburn Rovers, in front of a crowd of 3,000.

In 1889, Crusaders faced Royal Arsenal in the FA Cup third qualifying round, in the latter's first-ever FA Cup season, with future powerhouses Arsenal winning 5–2 in extra time; the Crusaders appealed the referee's decision to extend the match[10] on the basis of the "shocking" light,[11] but it was not successful.

[16] The club originally played at the County Cricket Ground at Shenfield Road.