Two Premier League clubs suffered FA Cup third-round exits at the hands of Championship opposition on Saturday, as Burnley knocked out Bournemouth and Blackpool thrashed Nottingham Forest.
But an even bigger shock was to come in the evening as League One side Sheffield Wednesday held off a late fight-back by in-form Newcastle United to record a 2-1 victory. A pulsating game saw Josh Windass score twice in the second half to put the Owls well in control and they were certainly deserving of the goals after a brave and adventurous performance.
Newcastle pushed back late in the game and Bruno Guimaraes gave them hope with a close-range finish, but Chris Wood blazed a fantastic late chance over when an equaliser seemed certain and Eddie Howe’s side suffered just a second defeat of the season.
Gary O’Neil was appointed permanent boss of the Cherries after their recent takeover but Bournemouth have lost their last three in the top flight – and now it’s five defeats in a row in all competitions after a 4-2 beating at home to Vincent Kompany’s Clarets. Manuel Benson and Anass Zaroury both notched a brace apiece for the second-tier side, with Ryan Christie equalising after an early opener and Dominic Solanke briefly reducing the arrears just after the restart. Burnley were always in control of the outcome though and the Championship table-toppers progressed to the fourth round.
Also into the hat go Blackpool, after the Tangerines dealt Forest a lesson in clinical finishing. Both teams had five shots on target in the game but while Michael Appleton’s team scored with four of theirs, the Permier League side managed only a stoppage-time consolation through Ryan Yates. That came after Marvin Ekpiteta, Ian Poveda, CJ Hamilton and Jerry Yates had seen Blackpool fly into an unassailable lead.
Two Premier League sides did make it through in routine fashion from the 3pm kick-offs, as Fulham beat Hull 2-0 – Layvin Kurzawa and Dan James the scorers – and Brighton thrashed Middlesbrough 5-1.
Pascal Gross gave the Seagulls an early lead and despite Chuba Akpom equalising soon after, Brighton remained in the ascendency from the moment Adam Lallana restored their lead. World Cup-winner Alexis Mac Allister came off the bench to score twice in the second half and late sub Deniz Undav wrapped up the victory to send Michael Carrick’s in-form ‘Boro out of the competition.
West Brom needed a late leveller to avoid an exit of their own, as Brandon Thomas-Asante scored in the 93rd minute to secure a 3-3 draw with Chesterfield. The same player had netted after just two minutes to put his side ahead before Tyrone Williams and Karlan Grant swapped strikes in a frantic start, but Armando Dobra hit two in five minutes before the break to turn the game on its head and have Chesterfield in front until the final moments. Boreham Wood and Accrington Stanley are also heading for a replay after a 1-1 draw.
In the evening kick-offs, West Ham found form to beat fellow top-flight side Brentford thanks to Said Benrahma’s goal just 11 minutes from time, which sealed a 1-0 win. The highest-scoring match of the afternoon came at Coventry, as they lost 4-3 at home to Wrexham, Paul Mullin’s penalty ultimately proving the difference.
Late on, Liverpool and Wolves then fought out an entertaining 2-2 draw at Anfield. An Alisson error saw Goncalo Guedes open the scoring before Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah turned the tie around - only for Hwang Hee-chan to force an equaliser and send the sides to a replay.
Elsewhere, Fleetwood Town beat QPR 2-1 as Aristote Nsiala and Promise Omochere turned the tie around following Samuel Field’s opener. Ipswich thrashed Rotherham 4-1, Sheffield United beat Millwall 2-0 away from home and Sunderland broke Shrewsbury Town hearts with a 2-1 comeback win, Ross Stewart equalising and Luke O’Nien hitting the winner, both after the 90-minute mark. Later on, Grimsby beat Burton 1-0 and Wigan drew 1-1 at Luton.
In the early kick-offs, Harry Kane netted a second-half winner against League One opposition as Tottenham beat Portsmouth 1-0, moving to within one goal of Jimmy Greaves’s club record in the process.
Leicester City similarly beat League Two Gillingham by a single goal, Kelechi Iheanacho netting shortly after the restart, while Reading beat Watford 2-0 thanks to strikes from Kelvin Abrefa and Shane Long. Forest Green Rovers and Birmingham City’s clash, meanwhile, was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
In the all-Premier League clash of the morning, bottom club Southampton and manager Nathan Jones earned some respite as they came from behind to beat Crystal Palace 2-1, with James Ward-Prowse and Adam Armstrong turning the tie around after Odsonne Edouard’s early opener. Finally, Preston beat Huddersfield 3-1 and Reading saw off Watford on home soil, 2-0 the score.
FA Cup third-round results
Friday
Man United 3-1 Everton
Saturday
Reading 2-0 Watford
Crystal Palace 1-2 Southampton
Tottenham 1-0 Portsmouth
Gillingham 0-1 Leicester City
Forest Green vs Birmingham - postponed
Preston 3-1 Huddersfield
Middlesbrough 1-5 Brighton
Chesterfield 3-3 West Bromwich Albion
Boreham Wood 1-1 Accrington
Bournemouth 2-4 Burnley
Fleetwood 2-1 QPR
Blackpool 4-1 Nottingham Forest
Hull 0-2 Fulham
Millwall 0-2 Sheffield United
Shrewsbury 1-2 Sunderland
Ipswich 4-1 Rotherham
Brentford 0-1 West Ham
Coventry 3-4 Wrexham
Luton 1-1 Wigan
Grimsby 1-0 Burton
Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 Newcastle United
Liverpool 2-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers
