17-YEAR-OLD EVAN Ferguson came off the bench and created the equalising goal of Brighton’s come-from-behind win away to West Brom in the third round of the FA Cup today.
Irish international Callum Robinson gave West Brom the lead two minutes into the second half, but the Baggies were reduced to 10 men midway through the second half as Cedric Kipre picked up a second yellow card.
Ferguson – who made a first-team debut in the Carabao Cup earlier this year and has been on the bench for recent Premier League games – was sprung from the bench with a quarter of an hour remaining, and five minutes later when he prodded the ball forward into the penalty area for Jakub Moder to smash the ball beyond West Brom ‘keeper David Button.
Neal Maupay then gave Brighton the lead in extra-time, and Ferguson thought he had scored his first senior goal in England but saw his effort ruled out for offside.
Shane Duffy played the full game with Brighton, with Jayson Molumby ineligible to face his parent club.
There was deep disappointment for Irish international Chiedozie Ogbene, who missed a decisive spot-kick and saw his Rotherham side knocked out of the Cup in a shootout with QPR. The game was goalless after 90 minutes at Loftus Road but both scored in extra time to send the game to a marathon shoot-out, eventually won 8-7 by QPR. Irish U21 striker JJ Koyade scored his penalty for Rotherham while Irish defender Jimmy Dunne scored for QPR.
Meanwhile, a floodlight failure and a raft of enforced changes could not derail Leicester as they began their defence of the FA Cup with a convincing 4-1 win over Watford.
Youri Tielemans and James Maddison got the Foxes off to a fine start in their third-round tie at the King Power Stadium before Harvey Barnes and Marc Albrighton struck after a Joao Pedro reply.
The lights went out for a short period early in the second half as the Foxes led 3-1, and Pedro hit the bar soon after the restart, but the hosts finished the stronger.
A hat-trick from substitute Bryan Mbeumo sent Brentford through to the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 4-1 victory over League Two Port Vale at Vale Park.
Marcus Forss scored the only goal of a low-key first half but the game burst into life with three goals in 10 minutes in the second.
Mbeumo put the visitors two up only for 19-year-old Kian Harratt to pull one back a day after signing on loan from Huddersfield.
Vale, playing their first match since December 11, pushed hard for an equaliser but Mbeumo scored his second on the break before converting from the penalty spot late on.
Sammie Szmodics – called up to the Irish squad once by Stephen Kenny though yet to be capped – scored the first goal of Peterborough’s 2-1 win over Bristol Rovers. Jack Taylor, similarly called up to the Irish senior squad and yet to be capped, played the full game for Posh. Former Shamrock Rovers defender Trevor Clarke started for Joey Barton’s Rovers.
Non-league North Kidderminster caused another big upset as they came from behind to beat Championship side Reading 2-1 at Aggborough Stadium. George Puscas had given the Royals the lead just before half-time, but captain Sam Austin had the non-league side level before Amari Morgan-Smith bundled in a late winner.
Another non-league side, Boreham Wood, will also be in the fourth-round draw after a 2-0 home win over AFC Wimbledon. Irish midfielder Connor Smith missed the game with injury, but was in the dug-out as a coach.
Wigan saw off Championship promotion-chasers Blackburn 3-2 with a stoppage-time winner from Thelo Aasgaard just after Daniel Ayala’s header looked to have sent the tie to extra-time. Will Keane started for Wigan, with James McClean booked having come on as a substitute.
William Hondermarck, once of Drogheda United, came off the bench as his Barnsley side won a crazy tie with Barrow 5-4 after extra time. Barrow were reduced to 10 men after 38 minutes – while trailing 2-0 – but battled back to 2-2, then 3-3 and then 4-4 to send the game to extra time, before the roller-coaster was settled by a winning goal from Carlton Morris.
The upset of the day came at St James’ Park, where a Cambridge United side featuring one Wes Hoolahan beat Newcastle 1-0.
FA Cup Third Round results
- Mansfield Town 2-3 Middlesbrough
- Bristol City 0-1 Fulham (AET)
- Burnley 1-2 Huddersfield
- Coventry 1-0 Derby County
- Hartlepool 2-1 Blackpool
- Millwall 1-2 Crystal Palace
- Barnsley 5-4 Barrow (AET)
- Boreham Wood 2-0 AFC Wimbledon
- Kidderminster 2-1 Reading
- Leicester 4-1 Watford
- Newcastle 0-1 Cambridge
- Peterborough 2-1 Bristol Rovers
- Port Vale 1-4 Brentford
- West Brom 1-2 Brighton (AET)
- Wigan 3-2 Blackburn
- QPR 1-1 Rotherham (QPR win 8-7 on penalties)
With reporting by Gavin Cooney
