Thursday 28 January 2016

Capital One Cup Semi Finals Review

After the first legs were both settled by a single goal advantage, the 'Road to Wembley' was far from completed as the four sides faced off in the second legs across Tuesday and Wednesday.

Tuesday night saw Liverpool host Stoke City at Anfield with the Reds looking to reach a 12th League Cup final while the Potters needed to overturn a 1-0 deficit to avoid an exit at the penultimate stage. The Reds look to have completed the first half still ahead in the tie but Stoke had other ideas as Marko Arnautovic put the visitors ahead on the night and levelled the tie at 1-1 on aggregate. The 1-0 lead for Stoke lasted until the end of the 90 minutes meaning a period of extra time which saw the sides remain level going into a penalty shootout.

Both sides made mixed starts but Jon Walters, Glenn Whelan, Ibrahim Affelay, Xherdan Shaqiri and Marco van Ginkel were all on target for Stoke, while Adam Lallana, Christian Benteke, Roberto Firmino, James Milner and Lucas were successful for Liverpool but the crucial spot kick came from Joe Allen who sealed a 6-5 win in sudden death. 

Wednesday night saw Manchester City host Everton at the Etihad Stadium with City hoping to overturn the Blues' 2-1 advantage from the first leg. The Toffees doubled their aggregate advantage as early as the 18th minute as Ross Barkley bemused the home defence to slot in for 1-0 and 3-1 overall. Fernandinho levelled the score on the night just six minutes later to make it 3-2 overall. The visitors were looking good as their advantage continued deep into the second half but they were soon behind on the night and controversially as Kevin De Bruyne scored from a cross that had come from the ball being out of play and City wrapped a 3-1 win and 4-3 aggregate success in the 76th minute with a Sergio Aguero strike.

Foxes Clear At The Top While Reds Edge Canaries

Ahead of the double resuming of cup action in the form of the Capital One Cup semis and the FA Cup fourth round, Premier League gameweek 23 saw a nine-goal thriller with three other sides scoring three times while just three teams claimed a clean sheet.

Saturday's early game saw Norwich City host Liverpool at Carrow Road with the Canaries hoping to avoid a trilogy of losses while the Reds looked for their first league win of 2016. The Reds made the first breakthrough in the 18th minutes as Roberto Firmino put them one goal to the good but they were soon pegged back by a clever back-heeled effort from Dieumerci Mbokani who equalised on 29 minutes for 1-1.

The Canaries stunned the visitors with two goals either side of the interval with Steven Naismith continuing his scoring streak against the Reds with a debut goal on 41 minutes before Wes Hoolahan tucked away a 54th minute penalty for a 3-1 lead. Liverpool hit back with two strikes in eight minutes from Jordan Henderson (55) and a second for Firmino (63) to level at 3-3. James Milner made it 4-3 to the visitors before an added time leveller from Seb Bassong looked to have salvaged a draw at 4-4. However, Liverpool sealed a stunning win as Adam Lallana fired in with just seconds left of added time to seal a 5-4 win.

In the first of six 3pm's, Crystal Palace hosted Tottenham Hotspur in a London derby at Selhurst Park with the Eagles searching for a first win in five games while Spurs looked for back-to-back successes. The hosts took the lead on the 30 minute mark as Jan Vertonghen deflected into his own net for 1-0 but Harry Kane levelled for the visitors on 63 minutes before a stunning effort from Dele Alli on 84 minutes and a late strike from Nacer Chadli sealed a 3-1 win.


Leicester City hosted Stoke City at the King Power Stadium knowing a win would send them three points clear at the top while the Potters hoped for a second win in three games. The sides looked to be going into half-time all square only for Danny Drinkwater to fire the Foxes in front three minutes before the interval. Jamie Vardy doubled the lead as he ended a barren run in front of goal in the 66th minute and the Foxes wrapped up a comfortable 3-0 win with an 87th minute effort from Leonardo Ulloa.

Manchester United hosted Southampton at Old Trafford looking to close on the top four and also end a run of 10 home games without scoring in the first half while the Saints hoped to claim a third consecutive win. The sides played out a goalless first half meaning United's shocking run of 0-0's at home extended to an 11th game and the home fans were even more upset when Charlie Austin marked his Saints début with the winning goal in the 87th minute to seal a 1-0 success.


Sunderland hosted Bournemouth at the Stadium of Light looking to cut the gap from safety while the Cherries hoped to claim consecutive wins. A great start from the visitors saw them take an early lead with a goal from recent signing Benik Afobe in the 13th minute but the hosts ensured a level score going into the interval with a 45th minute leveller from the in-form Patrick Van Aanholt for 1-1. Both sides pushed for a winner in the second half but had to settle for a share of the points which leaves the hosts four points from safety.

Watford hosted Newcastle United at Vicarage Road desperate to end a run of four defeats while the Magpies harboured hopes of consecutive victories. A tight first half saw the sides remain level into the interval but just seconds after the restart, Watford were ahead as Odion Ighalo fired in for a 1-0 advantage. Craig Cathcart doubled the lead with a rare goal in the 58th minute before Jamaal Lascelles scored his first goal for the Magpies to cut the gap to 2-1 on 71 minutes but the Hornets held on to claim a first win in six.


West Bromwich Albion played host to local rivals Aston Villa in a derby game at The Hawthorns hoping to avoid consecutive losses while Villa had the chance to remain unbeaten for a third game. The sides were hard to part in both the first half and second half as they were evenly matched on the score front, sharing the points in a 0-0 draw.

The evening game saw West Ham United host Manchester City at Upton Park with the chance to move into fifth with a win while for City, a win would close the gap at the top. A perfect start for the hosts saw Enner Valencia fire them into the lead inside the first minute before Sergio Aguero made it 1-1 just eight minutes later from the penalty spot. Valencia regained the Hammers' lead in the 56th minute before a second strike from Aguero sealed a 2-2 draw in the 81st minute. 


Super Sunday began with Everton's hosting of struggling Swansea City at Goodison Park with the Toffees looking for their first win of 2016 while the Swans had hopes of securing consecutive victories. The visitors took the lead with a penalty from Gylfi Sigurdsson in the 17th minute before gifting the hosts a leveller on 26 minutes as Jack Cork deflected into his own net to make it 1-1. The winning goal came on 34 minutes as André Ayew made it 2-1 to the visitors and they held on to move clear of the bottom three.

The final game of the weekend saw a London derby at the Emirates Stadium as Arsenal hosted Chelsea hoping to draw level with Leicester at the top while the Blues looked to register a second win in four games. Arsenal were dealt an early blow with the dismissal of defender Per Mertesacker in the 19th minute and were quickly made to pay as Diego Costa fired the visitors into a 1-0 lead within four minutes. The Gunners ten men pushed to draw level but to no avail as they slipped to a first loss in five games leaving them in third spot.

Friday 22 January 2016

FA Cup Third Round Replays Review

After an weekend of surprises and huge wins in the FA Cup third round earlier in the month, this week saw the replays of ten ties following the rearranged tie between Newport County and Blackburn Rovers.

The aforementioned tie between the League Two and Championship sides took place on Monday night after a waterlogged pitch saw the original postponed, the tie was settled in the 90 minutes as Rovers claimed a 2-1 victory in a game which saw both sides reduced to ten men. Marshall put the visitors ahead with a ninth minute penalty before Brown was sent off just a minute later and County used the extra man in the 30 minute mark as Byrne levelled for 1-1.

Jordan Rhodes sealed the win for the visitors on 75 minutes before County's night ended on a further downer with the late dismissal of Day in the final minutes.

Tuesday night saw eight ties replayed starting with top flight basement boys Aston Villa hosting League Two side Wycombe Wanderers at Villa Park. Alike the original game, the sides were hard to part on the scoreboard in the first hour but Villa showed their superiority in the final 15 minutes with strikes from Ciaran Clark and Idrissa Gueye completing a 2-0 win.


An all League One meeting saw Bradford City host Bury with the sides battling to secure a home tie against Championship side Hull City. A tight game saw the sides remain level at 0-0 at the end both the 90 minutes and the end of 30 minutes of extra time meaning the lucrative fourth round place would be settled in a penalty shoot-out which the visitors won 4-2.

Championship side Bristol City hosted top flight West Bromwich Albion in a battle to secure a home tie against League One side Peterborough United. The sides were separated by just a single goal across the 90 minutes as Baggies record signing Salomon Rondon secured a 1-0 win with a strike in the 52nd minute.


A huge home tie against Premier League champions Chelsea was the prize as Championship side Milton Keynes Dons hosted League Two side Northampton Town. The sides remained level at 0-0 at the end of the first half before two goals in eight minutes put the hosts in control, Reeves converted a 53rd minute penalty ahead of a 61st minute effort from Murphy for 2-0. The win and the chance to welcome Chelsea was confirmed late on as Church converted the Dons second penalty on 89 minutes for 3-0.

League Two side Portsmouth hosted Championship side Ipswich Town with a plum tie at home to top flight Bournemouth at stake. The 2008 winners took the lead in the 32nd minute with a penalty from Roberts before McNulty doubled the lead on 37 minutes to set up a potential 'cupset'. Ipswich pulled one back through Maitland-Niles on the hour but were unable to avoid a surprise exit from the competition with a 2-1 defeat.

Yeovil Town hosted fellow League Two side Carlisle United in a battle to secure a lucrative home tie against top flight Everton. Compton put the hosts ahead in the 31st minute before an equaliser from Sweeney in the 77th minute ensured the sides would continue the battle into extra time. The tie remained at 1-1 meaning the sides would face a penalty shoot-out which saw Carlisle win 5-4.

The lowest ranked and only non-league side left in the competition was Eastleigh and as they travelled to face Championship strugglers Bolton Wanderers,a home tie against Leeds United was just 90 minutes away. Alike the original tie, Eastleigh struck first and this time around it was Partington with an 11th minute strike before two goals in six minutes before half time saw the sides go into the break at 2-2. Bolton levelled through Madine on 39 minutes before a 43rd minute effort from Moxey put the hosts ahead only for Mohamed to level in the final seconds. The tie was settled just before the hour mark as Pratley backed up his late leveller from the 1-1 draw with a 58th minute strike for 3-2.



Tuesday's final tie saw a battle between two Championship sides as Reading hosted Huddersfield Town for the right to host League One promotion hopefuls Walsall.

Huddersfield raced into a 2-0 lead inside 15 minutes with strikes from Paterson (8) and Smith (15) before they were reduced to ten men as Hogg as dismissed on 27 minutes before Piazon cut the deficit on 29 minutes.

A brace from Vydra in the 57th and 61st minutes put Reading 3-2 ahead and the tie was wrapped up by two late goals for the home side as Vydra completed his hat-trick ahead of a strike from Iglesias to complete a 5-2 rout.


Wednesday saw two ties starting with the all top flight battle between Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur with a trip to League One side Colchester United awaiting in the next round. Tottenham struck an opener in the 39th minute through Son Heung-Min before Nacer Chadli sealed a 2-0 win with a 66th minute strike.

The second tie of the evening saw top flight Liverpool host League Two side Exeter City at Anfield with a home tie against West Ham United, the impetus for the League two side while the Reds would hope to avenge a league double suffered to the Hammers. The Reds fielded a mix of youth and experience which was a bit stronger than the original tie and it was clear early on as Joe Allen made it two goals in three games in the tenth minute. Exeter did well to keep the gap to a single goal long into the second half but were unable to take their chances and Liverpool wrapped up the win with two goals in the final 16 minutes. Academy starlet Sheyi Ojo curled in a superb second on 74 minutes before Joao Teixeira made it 3-0 with six minutes left of the 90.

Top Two Remain Level While Reds Slip Against United

After a full midweek programme, the Premier League continued with gameweek 22, a weekend which saw six sides score three or more goals while seven sides secured a shut-out.


The weekend began with the early kick-off between Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland at White Hart Lane with Spurs looking to close on the top three and deny a move out of the bottom three for the visitors. A fairly quiet first half saw a frantic end as the visitors took the lead through the in-form Patrick Van Aanholt on 40 minutes only for the advantage to be quickly cancelled out by Christian Eriksen's leveller three minutes before the interval.

The hosts turned the game around in a nine minute period as Moussa Dembélé made it 2-1 on 59 minutes before Eriksen's second in the 67th minute made it 3-1. The points were wrapped up in the 79th minute as Harry Kane slotted in a fourth via the penalty spot.

In the first of five 3pm games, Bournemouth took on Norwich City at the Vitality Stadium with both keen to move clear of the bottom three with a win. A quick start from the Cherries saw them take the lead inside 10 minutes through Dan Gosling before new signing Benik Afobe doubled their advantage in the 54th minute. The Canaries' afternoon got worse rather than better as they conceded a penalty on 79 minutes which Charlie Daniels converted to confirm a 3-0 win.


Chelsea and Everton faced off at Stamford Bridge with the hosts looking for just their second win in five games while the Toffees hoped to end a poorer run of two wins in eight games. The sides played out a goalless first half before the Toffees were gifted the lead as John Terry deflected into his own net within five minutes of the restart before Kevin Mirallas doubled the lead just six minutes later.

The hosts drew level with two goals in as many minutes as Diego Costa cut the gap on 64 minutes before a leveller on 66 from Cesc Fabregas for 2-2. Everton looked to have sealed a 3-2 win with a strike from Ramiro Funes Mori in the 90th minute but their joy was soured by a last-gasp strike from John Terry which should have been chalked off for offside but sealed a 3-3 draw.

Manchester City hosted Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium with eyes cutting the gap to the top two while the Eagles looked to end a run of four games without a win. The hosts opened the scoring in the 22nd minute via a superb effort from Fabian Delph before Sergio Aguero doubled the lead four minutes before the interval. The Argentine striker added his second and City's third on 68 minutes before a clever combination between himself and David Silva saw the Spaniard confirm a 4-0 win in the 84th minute.


Newcastle United looked to cut the gap to safety as they hosted West Ham United at St James Park with a first win in five while the Hammers had the chance to claim a fourth win in a row. A stunning start for the Magpies saw them race into a 2-0 lead inside 15 minutes as Ayoze Perez (10) and the in-form Georginio Wijnaldum (15) put the hosts in control.

The Hammers cut the deficit just after half-time as Nikica Jelavic made it 2-1 on 49 minutes but the hosts held on to secure a narrow win that moved them to just one point away from 17th spot.

In a battle between two mid-table sides, Southampton hosted West Bromwich Albion at St Mary's Stadium with the Saints hoping to claim back-to-back wins and the Baggies looking for a their win in four games. A rapid opening for the hosts saw James Ward-Prowse sweep in a clever free-kick in the fifth minute before adding a second goal from the penalty spot on 35 minutes to put the hosts in control. The Baggies looked to respond but were cast aside in the contest with 28 minutes remaining as Dusan Tadic repeated his super-sub strike from midweek to make it 3-0 in the 72nd minute.


The evening game saw two sides at either ends of the table face off as bottom side Aston Villa hosted joint top side Leicester City at Villa Park with the hosts looking to build on their second win of the season from midweek while the Foxes knew a win would send them clear at the top. 

Shinji Okazki put the Foxes in front with a 28th minute opener but his effort was cancelled out deep into the second half as substitute Rudy Gestede fired in an equaliser in the 78th minute for 1-1 which was how the game ended with Villa happier in avoiding defeat but still sitting six points adrift at the foot of the table.

Super Sunday began at Anfield as fierce rivals Liverpool and Manchester United faced off with the Reds looking for their first league win of the year while United were desperate to secure a first away win since November. The sides played out a fairly tepid first half which saw them remain level at 0-0 and the equality on the scoreboard continued deep into the second half before Wayne Rooney took advantage of a slow Reds defence from a corner to secure a 1-0 win in the 78th minute.



The second game on Sunday saw Arsenal travel to face Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium with the Gunners looking to capitalise on Leicester's failure to win with a win that would sent them clear at the top while the Potters hoped for consecutive victories. A tight game overall between the sides saw them share the points in a 0-0 draw which meant that the Gunners regained top spot by way of goal difference with Stoke closing the gap to the top four to six points.

The final action of the week came on Monday night as struggling Swansea City hosted Watford at the Liberty Stadium with the Swans keen to impress incoming manager Francesco Guidolin who watched on from the stands while the Hornets hoped to avoid a fourth consecutive defeat. The game proved to be a close one with just a single goal settling the contest as Ashley Williams secured a much needed 1-0 win for the hosts with a 27th minute strike.

Sunday 17 January 2016

Foxes Level At The Top After Reds Deny Gunners

A midweek programme in the Premier League saw week 21 split across two evenings which saw defence become a rarity with eight sides scoring three or more goals and just five claiming a shutout.


Tuesday saw three games starting with Aston Villa hosting Crystal Palace at Villa Park with the Villans eager to secure a first home win of the season while the Eagles looked to end a run of three games without a win. A tight affair saw the sides remain deadlocked at 0-0 into the half-time interval before a 58th minute strike from Joleon Lescott put Villa ahead and the slim lead proved to be enough to secure a 1-0 win and their first since the opening week of the season.

AFC Bournemouth hosted West Ham United at the Vitality Stadium looking for a first win since mid December while the Hammers had the chance to secure a third win in a row. The Cherries started the better of the two sides as they took a 1-0 lead inside 17 minutes through Harry Arter but the Hammers battled back just after the hour with Dmitri Payet equalising on 67 minutes. The hosts were then cast aside as Enner Valencia scored a ten minute brace on 74 and 84 minutes to seal a 3-1 win.


Newcastle United hosted Manchester United at St James Park looking to move out of the bottom three while the visitors had eyes on a return to the top four. The Magpies suffered an early blow by conceding a penalty in the ninth minute which Wayne Rooney converted for a 1-0 lead before Jesse Lingard doubled the lead in the 38th minute.

Georginio Wijnaldum slotted in on 42 minutes for to cut the deficit to 2-1 before Aleksandar Mitrovic scored from the penalty spot on 67 minutes to level at 2-2.  Rooney struck his second and United's third in the 79th minute for 3-2 but the hosts salvaged a draw in added time with a last-gasp effort from Paul Dummett.

Wednesdays action saw five games kick off at 7.45pm starting with Chelsea's hosting of West Bromwich Albion at Stamford Bridge. The Blues struck the opening goal on 20 minutes with a rare strike from Cesar Azpilicueta but were pegged back just 13 minute later as Craig Gardner equalised for 1-1. The Baggies gifted their hosts the lead in the 73rd minute as Gareth McAuley deflected into his own net but his blushes were saved by a last gasp leveller from James McClean who salvaged a 2-2 draw in added time.


After meeting in the Capital One Cup last week, Manchester City hosted Everton at the Etihad Stadium looking to avoid back to back defeat to the Toffees while looking to close on the top two. The sides seemed to be more evenly matched that the previous game as after the semi final first leg saw three goals, this game saw none as the sides shared the points in a 0-0 draw.

Southampton hosted Watford at St Mary's Stadium looking for only their second win in nine games which the Hornets hoped to avoid back-to-back defeats. The Saints took an early lead as Shane Long fired in for 1-0 in the 17th minute and the lead was doubled midway through the second half as Dusan Tadic scored within minutes of coming off the bench to seal a 2-0 win on 72 minutes.


Stoke City hosted struggling Norwich City at the Britannia Stadium with both sides looking to secure a third win in a row. The Canaries suffered a blow on 31 minutes with the dismissal of Gary O'Neil but the hosts took until four minutes after half-time to make their man advantage count as Jon Walters opened the scoring in the 49th minute. Despite being down to ten men, Norwich equalised just six minutes later through Jonny Howson who mad it 1-1 but a goal from Joselu on 67 minutes put the Potters back in front before a Ryan Bennett own goal confirmed a 3-1 win for Stoke.

The last of the early games came from the Liberty Stadium as Swansea City hosted Sunderland with the Swans looking to move clear of the bottom three while the Black Cats looked to exit the danger zone with a win. A perfect start for the visitors saw them take the lead inside three minutes through Jermain Defoe but they were pegged back on 21 minutes by a penalty from Gylfi Sigurdsson who made it 1-1. A mixed three minutes for the hosts saw Kyle Naughton sent off on 37 minutes before Andre Ayew put them 2-1 ahead. Patrick Van Aanholt continued his good run in front of goal with an equaliser on 49 minutes but a second from Defoe on 61 minutes was followed by his hat-trick strike five minutes from the end to seal a 4-2 win.


The final two games kicked off at 8pm with top spot the prize for the two visiting sides starting with current league leaders Arsenal's trip to face Liverpool at Anfield. The Reds struck an early as Roberto Firmino gave them a 1-0 lead inside ten minutes but a rapid response from the Gunners saw Aaron Ramsey equalise just four minutes later. Firmino struck his second on 19 minutes to regain the lead but another short lived lead for the Reds was ended by Olivier Giroud making it 2-2 in the 25th minute.

After the the frenzy of four goals in the first 25 minutes, the sides remained level into half-time before Arsenal went ahead for the first time on 55 minutes with Giroud's second goal making it 3-2. The visitors looked set to go clear at the top of the table only to be denied in the final seconds of added time by a rare strike from Joe Allen who made it 3-3 leading to a spectacular celebration from Reds manager Jurgen Klopp.

Tottenham Hotspur hosted Leicester City at White Hart Lane with the hosts keen to open a gap to fifth place while the Foxes looked hoped for a favour from Liverpool which coupled with a win for themselves would move them level at the top. After drawing 2-2 just days earlier in the FA Cup, the sides played out a tight game which was settled by a single goal as Robert Huth headed in on 63 minutes to claim all three points.

Saturday 16 January 2016

FA Cup Round Three Review Part Two

The second part of the third round action begins with the only one postponement across the afternoon's games which given the bad weather was a surprise but for the fans of League two side Newport County and Championship side Blackburn Rovers it was a late decision to call the game off which left them with a midweek re-arrangement.

League Two side Northampton Town hosted Championship side Milton Keynes Dons with the hosts eyeing a potential 'cupset'. However, such a result was dented early on as Cresswell hit into his own net to give the Dons the lead on 13 minutes. The Cobblers staged a stunning turnaround as Holmes struck a nine minute brace in the 49th and 58th minutes to make it 2-1 but they were denied a famous win by a late leveller as Maynard made it 2-2 in the 82nd minute to force a replay.


A battle between two sides at either end of the Premier League table saw Norwich City host Manchester City with the Canaries hoping to boost a mixed season so far while the Sky Blues looked to add another win to their already successful season in the domestic cups. The visitors struck an early opener as Sergio Aguero made it 1-0 on 13 minutes before Kevin De Bruyne doubled the lead in the 31st minute. The Canaries battled to cut the deficit but had their fate sealed midway through the second half as Kelechi Ihenacho wrapped up a 3-0 victory in the 78th minute.


An all Championship battle saw Nottingham Forest host Queens Park Rangers at the City Ground with both the former top flight sides hoping to extend their fine runs in the competition so far. The tie was a close run one with just one goal separating the sides across the 90 minutes with Ward's 24th minute strike enough for the hosts to secure a 1-0 win.

League One side Peterborough United hosted Championship side Preston North End with hopes of a 'cupset' against a side going well in the division above. The hosts made a stunning start as they struck a seventh minute opener through Samuelson and the narrow lead was doubled just seven minutes after the half-time break as in-form Conor Washington made it 2-0. The two goal lead proved to be enough to hold of the visitors as United secured a famous win.

A battle between two former top flight sides currently residing in the Championship saw Sheffield Wednesday host Fulham as Hillsborough. The sides were evenly matched in the first half including scoring a goal each in the final minutes as Barry Bannan gave the Owls the lead on 42 minutes only for the Cottagers to strike back instantly through Dembélé for 1-1 at the interval. The tie was settled midway through the second half as Nuhiu secured a 2-1 win in the 73rd minute.


An all top flight tie saw Southampton face Crystal Palace at St Marys Stadium with both looking to extend reasonable first halves to the season. The Eagles struck an opener in the 29th minute through Joel Ward but were pegged back by a 51st minute equaliser as Oriol Romeu made it 1-1. The tie was decided with a strike in the 68th minute as Wilfred Zaha struck for the Eagles to seal a 2-1 win.

Another top flight battle saw high flying Watford host struggling Newcastle United at Vicarage Road with the Magpies keen to boost a poor season that sees them sit in the bottom three. The tie was settled by just a single goal across the 90 minutes as the Hornets secured a 1-0 success after a 44th minute strike from Troy Deeney.


Top flight West Bromwich Albion hosted Championship side Bristol City at The Hawthorns with the visitors looking to stage a surprise on their Premier League hosts. The first half was a tight affair as the sides remained level at 0-0 into the interval and the deadlock continued past the hour mark until an opener from Saido Berahino put the Baggies in front on 67 minutes.

City drew level just seven minutes later through Kodjia before taking a surprise lead with seven minutes left of the 90 as Agard made it 2-1. However, their joy was to be dented as James Morrison salvaged a 2-2 draw in added time to force a replay.

Another tie between a top flight and Championship side saw West Ham United host Wolverhampton Wanderers with the visitors looking to pass the test against higher league opposition. The tie was a close run one as the sides remained level at 0-0 long into the second half with a late penalty from Nikica Jelavic sealing a 1-0 win in the 85th minute.


The late kick-off saw another top flight- Championship tie as  Manchester United hosted Sheffield United. The two sides looked destined for a replay at Bramall Lane as the game remained goalless deep into the the second half. The tie was sealed with a last-gasp goal as Wayne Rooney slotted in a 93rd minute penalty to secure a 1-0 win for the hosts.

Sunday saw the remaining four ties starting with the early kick-off between League Two promotion hopefuls Oxford United and Premier League strugglers Swansea City at the Kassam Stadium. The Swans took the lead through Jefferson Monterson on 23 minutes before being pegged back in the final seconds of the first half as Sercombe made it 1-1 from the penalty spot. A 15 minute brace from Kemar Roofe turned the tie around as he struck in the 49th and 59th minutes for 3-1. Bafetimbi Gomis pulled the deficit back to 3-2 in the 66th minute but the Swans were unable to prevent the hosts from claiming a famous 'cupset'.


An all League Two meeting saw Carlisle United host Yeovil Town meaning at least one side from the division would reach the fourth round but both sides went into the draw for the next round after a 2-2 draw. Grainger put the hosts ahead in the 25th minute only for the Glovers to level in the 71st minute though Zoko but the sides were level for just five minutes as Ellis regained the lead for the hosts on 76 minutes and the visitors forced a replay late on with a late strike from Jeffers in added time.

Premier League champions Chelsea hosted League One side Scunthorpe United with the visitors hoping to stage a huge 'cupset' akin to Bradford's against the Blues in last seasons fourth round. However, the Blues had taken lessons from last season and secured a 2-0 win to book a spot in the next round. Diego Costa got them off the mark in the 13th minute before a first senior goal for Ruben Loftus-Cheek in the 68th minute completed the win.


The final top flight battle of the round saw high flying duo Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City meet at White Hart Lane. Spurs opened the scoring with an early strike from Christian Eriksen in the ninth minute before the Foxes levelled through Marcin Wasilewski in the 19th minute.

Shinji Okazaki made it 2-1 to the visitors but they will face a replay at the King Power Stadium after  late penalty from Harry Kane made it 2-2 in the 89th minute.

Championship side Cardiff City hosted League One side Shrewsbury Town with the visitors keen to stage a 'cupset' on the former top flight side. The Shrews did just that as they edged a tight game with a narrow 1-0 win courtesy of 62nd minutes strike from Mangan.

FA Cup Third Round Review Part One

The dawn of a new year means a resuming of the FA Cup which is at the hallowed third round stage, traditionally full of excitement and few 'cupsets' but unlike previous seasons, I will be covering the round in full which means a huge 32 games and as such, the review will be in two parts with the replays forming a separate piece later in the month.

The round began on Friday night as League Two side Exeter City entertained a depleted Liverpool side at St James' Park. The Reds recent injury crisis left them with the ability to name only five senior players in their 17 with only Christian Benteke in the starting XI having made more than four appearances for the club. Exeter stormed into the lead as expected but it was a surprise that Tom Nichols slotted in after only nine minutes.

The youthful Reds replied with an equaliser from Jerome Sinclair just three minutes later for 1-1 but went into the interval 2-1 down after a stunning corner from Lee Holmes fooled Adam Bogdan and went straight in in the 45th minute. Liverpool avoided defeat but will have to replay up at Anfield after Brad Smith salvaged a 2-2 draw with a 73rd minute effort.

This part includes all of Saturday's action with the exception of the evening game but the action began early on as League Two play-off hopefuls Wycombe Wanderers hosted top flight basement boys Aston Villa. Remi Garde's Villans had yet to secure a win under his charge and with a strong side named there would be no excuses in this game. Micah Richards started the pursuit of success with a 22nd minute opener but the lead lasted until the 50th minute when the hosts were awarded a penalty which Joe Jacobsen slotted in for 1-1 to secure a replay at Villa Park.


In a battle between two sides at either end of the Premier League, Arsenal hosted Sunderland as they began the pursuit of becoming the first side since Blackburn (1884-1886) to win the competition in three consecutive seasons. However, their title defence suffered an early blow as the visitors took the lead with a 17th minute effort from Jeremain Lens but parity was soon restored as Joel Campbell equalised in the 25th minute.

Arsenal looked the stronger of the sides as the score remained level long into the second half but the tie was wrapped up by two goals in three minutes as Aaron Ramsey (72) and Olivier Giroud (75) sealed a 3-1 triumph.

Championship side Birmingham City hosted top flight AFC Bournemouth at St Andrews hoping to avoid a repeat of the 8-0 humiliation that the Cherries handed them in their last visit.  The Blues ensured such a repeat was dead in the water by taking the lead through Michael Morrison in the 40th minute but they would go into the interval on level terms as Lee Tomlin slotted in a penalty on 44 minutes for 1-1. The game seemed destined for a replay at the Vitality Stadium with the sides still level into the final ten minutes but Bournemouth had other ideas and sealed a 2-1 win with an 85th minute winner from Glenn Murray.


After leaving League One side Walsall to take charge at Championship side Brentford, Dean Smith must have been cursing the fact the draw had paired them together and was wary of an upset from his former side. His worries were confirmed before half-time as Sam Manton fired the Saddlers into the lead in the 34th minute in superb style. The hosts battled to draw level and even force a replay but to no avail as the first real 'cupset' of the day was completed with the visitors claiming a 1-0 success.

Last season, Bradford City dumped top flight Chelsea out in the fourth round but to have a chance of a repeat they would have to get past fellow League One side Bury at Gigg Lane. The sides sat just two places apart in the league standings so it was no surprise that they played out a 0-0 draw and will go again at Valley Parade in a replay.


League One side Colchester United hosted Championship side Charlton Athletic looking to stage a shock against the former Premier League team and after just 28 minutes, they were on course for success with an opening goal from Moncur.

Their 1-0 lead became 2-0 just before the half-time break as Marvin Sordell struck in the 41st minute but the Addicks set up a tense finish with a late strike from Reza Ghoochannejhad for 2-1 in the 90th minute but the hosts held on to secure a famous win.

Championship side Doncaster Rovers hosted top flight Stoke City with hopes of a 'giant-killing' against the Capital One Cup semi-finalists. However, it came as no surprise that the visitors took the lead as Peter Crouch fired them 1-0 ahead inside 15 minutes but the hosts battled back and drew level on 25 minutes through Nathan Tyson for 1-1. Stoke secured a place in the next round just before the hour mark as Jon Walters slotted in a 57th minute effort to claim a 2-1 win.


The third round traditionally has a number of non-league sides but this year, just one featured as Eastleigh played host to Championship strugglers Bolton Wanderers. The hosts did superbly to hold their higher league opponents to 0-0 in the first half before being gifted a shock lead just six minutes after the restart as Dervite deflected into his own net. The biggest 'cupset' of the round looked to be on the cards as the 1-0 lead remained with just five minutes left but the visitors spoiled the impending joy with an 87th minute leveller from Pratley to salvage a 1-1 draw and force a replay.

Top flight Everton looked to avoid a 'giant-killing' as they hosted League Two side Dagenham and Redbridge having slipped up to lower-league opponents in recent years. The sides were evenly matched in the first half hour before a breakthrough came for the hosts on 32 minutes as Arouna Kone made it 1-0 to the Toffees. The visitors did well to keep the gap to just a single goal but were unable to draw level as the game went on and their fate was sealed with five minutes left of the 90 as Kevin Mirallas slotted in a penalty to complete a 2-0 win.


League Two strugglers Hartlepool United harboured hopes of a staging a 'cupset' as they hosted Championship promotion hopefuls Derby County.  The hosts did well to hold the Rams to a goalless first half before taking a surprise lead in the 61st minute with an effort from Gray but they were rapidly pegged back by a 67th minute leveller from Butterfield for 1-1. The tie looked to be heading towards a replay with the sides remaining locked at 1-1 into the final ten minutes but the Rams secured a spot in the next round with a 2-1 win as Darren Bent struck in the 85th minute.

In an all Championship battle, Huddersfield Town hosted Reading with both keen to advance with hopes of drawing a top flight teams in the fourth round. A tight first half saw the sides go into the break level at 0-0 but the hosts took the lead with 57 minutes played with Paterson making it 1-0, Vydra replied for the visitors in the 71st minute before Hal Robson-Kanu looked to have sealed a 2-1 win with an 87th minute strike. However, the hosts were awarded a late penalty which Wells slotted in to make it 2-2 and force a replay.


Another all Championship battle saw Hull City host Brighton and Hove Albion at the KC Stadium with the Tigers looking to move a step closer to repeating their 2014 run to the final. The hosts did just that as they secured a spot in the fourth round with a narrow 1-0 win courtesy of a 41st minute penalty from Robert Snodgrass.

Two former top flight sides faced off as Championship side Ipswich Town hosted League Two side Portsmouth with the visitors hoping to move a step closer to repeating their 2008 win in the final. The sides remained level into the interval before a goal each in the space of two minutes livened up the tie. Ipswich struck first with a 53rd minute opener before Bennett made it 1-1 on 55 minutes. The tie looked to be heading for a replay until Chaplin fired the visitors into a 2-1 lead on 86 minutes but the replay as confirmed within two minutes as Fraser made it 2-2 in the 88th minute.


A Championship face-off saw Leeds United host Rotherham United with both looking to boost a season to forget so far. The hosts struck a lead late in the first half as Carayol marked his debut with the opener in the 45th minute. The narrow lead continued late into the second half when just alike the first half, the hosts struck late on as Doukara sealed a 2-0 win.

Two former top flight sides who are in the promotion battle for a return met at the Riverside Stadium as Middlesbrough hosted Burnley. The hosts sat atop the Championship table ahead of the tie so it was no surprise that they struck first as Fabbrini made it 1-0 in the 36th minute. The Clarets avoided a deficit into the interval as Hennings levelled in the 45th minute for 1-1. The visitors completed the comeback with a 71st minute strike from Ward to secure a 2-1 win and a spot in the next round.