A ROUND PACKED with all-Premier League ties was always going to mean there’d be some big names crashing out at this stage of the Carling Cup – but few could have expected the mighty Liverpool to succumb to a team 68 spaces below them in football’s league ladder.
Such was the case last night, however, as the seven-time Carling Cup winners – with almost all of the side’s big names given the night off – struggled to impose themselves in front of an agitated half-full Anfield crowd, despite Milan Jovanovic’s ninth-minute goal to put the home side 1-0 up.
Everyone, not least Liverpool, thought that a half-time lead of 1-0 would rapidly inflate as Northampton’s legs ran out of steam, but Billy McKay’s strike ten minutes into the second period changed some moods, and the lowly League Two visitors held on for the draw – and even threatened a regular time winner.
And though the winner did not come within the 90 minutes, Northampton did hit the net once more – Michael Jacobs tapping in to put the visitors in front. It could have been more to: despite having gone ahead, it was the Cobblers who continued on the attack with Liverpool stand-in keeper Brad Jones doing most of the work to keep his side in it.
His work was rewarded when David Ngog equalised – in the 116th minutes – to bring the game to spot kicks, where an early miss by Steve Guinan was offset by Ngog’s miss. The next five kicks were scored, and when Liverpool’s Nathan Eccleston failed to convert his kick, it was left to Abdul Osman to send Northampton into delirium – and into the 4th round – while the 22,577 present jeered the Reds off the field.
Magpies steal victory
Chelsea, meanwhile, also faced an early exit, with an inspired performance from brace-bagger Shola Ameobi giving Newcastle a priceless 4-3 away win. Chelsea defender Patrick van Aanholt put the Blues up within six minutes, but the brilliantly-named Nile Ranger equalised on 27 before a wonderful Ryan Taylor free kick put the visitors ahead – and Ameobi fired low and steadily passed Ross Turnbull in the Chelsea goal shortly after half-time.
Then sprang Chelsea into action – with Nicolas Anelka steering a first-time cross into the net on 70, and putting the home side level with just three minutes to go from the penalty spot after the harshest of decisions on Mike Williamson, who was found guilty of obstructing Alex.
But the night was not over: as the clock ticked into injury time, Ameobi again up to nod a powerful corner kick into the roof of the Chelsea net to bag a famous win.
Elsewhere, Manchester United had a momentary scare, going behind early before emerging 5-2 winners over Scunthorpe Town, while Aston Villa, West Brom and Wigan also went through.
- Aston Villa 3, Birmingham 1
- Chelsea 3, Newcastle 4
- Liverpool 2, Northampton 2
- Scunthorpe 2, Manchester United 3
- West Brom 2, Man City 1
- Wigan 2, Preston 1
