FA Cup Review

Middlesbrough 2 - 2 Man Utd

There’s something you don’t see very often at the Riverside. And what was that? A full stadium. All four stands were packed for the Quater Final tie against the leaders of the Premiership and those four stands witnessed a great cup tie and nearly an up-set. Both managers, Boro’s Gareth Southgate and Utd’ Sir Alex Ferguson, picked what were probably their strongest teams available whilst the supporters filling the four stands provided a great atmoshpere and plenty of noise.

Middlesbrough showed great character to not get over run after Wayne Rooney had put Utd in front after about 30 minutes. They showed even more to equalise just before the break and then take the lead shortly after the re-start. It was the Boro captain George Boateng who put the Wearsiders in front early in the second half. It has been a long hard season for Boateng but he seemed to be steering his team into the Semi Finals for the second year running. However, what happened on 68 minutes just summed it all up for Boateng this season. Even though he obviously protested his innocence, he had his hands in front of the face and the ball struck his hands. The referee didn’t really have a lot of choice othe than to award the penalty, which was converted by Ronaldo.

Boateng later said that if the incident had happened the other way round at Old Trafford it would never have been given. Perhaps! Who knows? He claimed it was a natural reaction, the ball was travelling at speed for his face and he put his hands up to protect himself. I have to say I do feel a little sorry for him and that he has a point but unforunately, decisions like these happen all the time and if you put your hands up like that in the area you have to be ready to accept the consequences. It was hard on Boro who played played and were unlucky not to be in the semi-final draw by themselves. They will go to Old Trafford not fearing Utd. They have proved this year there is no need for them to do that but you have to feel they have lost their chance of progressing.

Chelsea 3 - 3 Tottenham Hotspur

Quite a game! And a memorable game, in which there was a great atmosphere from two of the big London clubs. Afterall there is a huge prize in reach. The fact this was such a great game has a lot to do with the respective managers who should be praised for their somewhat “gung-ho” approach. Shame not all games were like this and you can bet that the fans will be hoping for a similar approach from their managers in the reply.

Chelsea looked down and out at 1 - 3 down and if it is true that Abramovich (the Chelsea owner) no longer communicates with his manager, he must still surely have some sort of respect for the sometimes controversial Mourinho when he is able to mastermind such a thrilling fightback. Of course, Jose was also courting that controversy again, after he admitted calling the referee, Mike Riley a “son of a whore” at a time when this derby looked to be boiling over. Mourinho claimed he says such things all day every day, but doesn’t mean anything by it.

Anyway, during the game on the pitch, Spurs were excellent and where the first team to score 3 goals at Stamford Bridge since Mourinho took the reigns of the London club. And they were so close to only becoming the third team during that time (80 matches) to win at the Bridge. However, with Mourihno’s tactical brillaint somehow Chelsea managed to score two goals in the last 20 minutes to secure, what seems like an unlikely reply at White Hart Lane.

FA Cup football at its best! The the reply is half as good as this it will be a great game. Surely we couldn’t be lucky enough a get another one like this!

Blackburn 2 - 0 Man City

You have to feel sorry for City fans! They really are long suffering yet full of optimism and passion for their club. If only their team were as good on the pitch as their fans are in the stands. The 7,500 travelling City fans turned up to Ewood Park repleat with big inflatable bananas and the rest of a packed Ewood responded to create a great atmosphere.

Unfortunately, the pressure is starting to grow on Stuart Pearce’s shoulders with this defeat to a Blackburn side that Mark Hughes has got playing really well and are hard to beat. It can’t have helped Pearce’s situation that his side lost this game against 10 men for the last twenty minutes, something that didn’t go unnoticed by the banana wielding City faithfull.

City didn’t really threaten the Blackburn goal, including those last 20 mins against the 10 men, but did well to subdue in form McCarthy. However they did sucumbed to Mokoena and Derbyshire, two unlikely scorers. It is going to be a hard run-in for City and Pearce who have to turn it around quickly to stop themselves being pulled into the relegation dog-fight.

Plymouth Argyle 0 - 1 Watford

So, no sweet revenge then for Plymouth following their 1984 semi-final defeat to Watford at Villa Park. Plus Ian Holloway, the Plymouth boss, won’t really be looking forward to his birthday today, this was not the present he was hoping for, and no amount of cake is going to make up for this defeat.

Watford scored the all important winner after only 21 minutes and the great ditraction from their Premisership plight means they are now only 90 minutes away from glory and returning to Wembley 23 years after they lost to Everton 2 - 0. Would Boothroyd swap that glory for Premiership survival? I think he would, but this may be all he and the Watford fans have left to cling onto this season. Premiership survival looks slim in comparison.

They is no doubting that Plymouth and their fans were certainly up for this game and there was a distinct feeling on the sout coast that they were destined to reach the Semi Final. Alas it was no to be. A full house at Home Park certainly answered the battle cry issued by Holloway prior to the game and the stadium was a sea of green, except for a small corner of the ground that was red and yellow. For the vast majority of the crowd, it was this small country of a green land that was making all the noise at the end of 90 minutes.

Four quarter finals, four excellent games. Let’s hope the semi finals and final (at Wenbley?) are as good as these!

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Many thanks
Rik