2011/12: FA Cup 4th Round – Sheffield United v Birmingham City
Friday 27 January 2012 (07.00 am)
Watford v Tottenham Hotspur (7.45 pm)
Everton v Fulham (8.00 pm)
When the 2011/12 FA Cup Fourth Round begins on Friday night there will be two fixtures taking place. The first of these will see Watford take on Spurs at Vicarage Road. These two sides have met on four previous occasions in the FA Cup and Spurs have triumphed in all of them. Interestingly, the first two ever games between these clubs took place in the FA Cup. In January 1922 in the Second Round, Tottenham triumphed 1-0 at White Hart Lane and in 1939 an emphatic 7-1 win for Spurs in the Third Round. The most famous of the FA Cup meetings came in the 1986/87 season when the teams met in a Semi-Final tie at Villa Park. Tottenham finished comfortable 4-1 winners with Steve Hodge bagging a brace to add to goals from Clive Allen and Paul Allen. Malcolm Allen scored The Hornets goal. The last meeting between these team came in the Third Round in 1999 at Spurs, with the home side convincing 5-2 winners.
The other game will see Fulham travel to Goodison Park to take on Everton. For Fulham fans of a certain age this fixture will bring back memories of the Fifth Round tie that took place back in February 1975. A game which pitched then Second Division Fulham against the First Division leaders. It was to be an epic game that was part of an incredible 11 game journey by the men from Craven Cottage that took them to the 1975 FA Cup Final against West Ham United. Coincidentally, as was the case with Watford v Tottenham, the first two occasions Everton and Fulham met was also in the FA Cup. Everton first hosted Fulham in January 1926 in the Third Round. After a draw at Goodison, Fulham won the replay 1-0. It was over twenty years before these two clashed again, and on this occasion it was a Fifth Round tie in London in 1948. The game went to a replay and Fulham emerged 1-0 winners. In February 1975 and again at the Fifth Round stage, Fulham travelled to the North West and came away with a 2-1 victory courtesy of two Viv Busby goals. The last meeting was in the Fourth Round in 2004. The game at Goodison looked to be slipping away from Everton as they were behind 1-0 to a Sean Davis goal. However, in the dying minutes Francis Jeffers scored to ensure a replay. As in the first game Everton went behind and again Jeffers equalised in the dying minutes. However, Steed Malbranque was the Fulham hero as he scored to sent The Cottagers through 2-1.
Tonight then, two games where FA Cup history says that the winners will be Tottenham and Fulham. If only it were that simple.
Friday 27 January 2012 (11.00 pm)
Watford (0) – (1) Tottenham Hotspur
Everton (2) – (1) Fulham
Abba famously sang in their hit “Waterloo”, “…The history book on the shelf, Is always repeating itself…” Now, fine exponents of the pop song they may have been, but as for football pundits, well, the jury has to be out tonight. History said Tottenham hadn’t lost to Watford in the Cup and so it continued as Spurs came away from Vicarage Road with a 1-0 win. Rafael van der Vaart’s long range effort just before half-time gave Spurs the lead, but The Hornets provided their Premier League opponents with a real test in the second period. After the game Spurs manager Harry Redknapp acknowledged that his team had indeed ridden their luck to make it through to the Fifth Round. Unfortunately for Watford it was a case of “So Long” to this years competition.
Meanwhile on Merseyside, Fulham were at Goodison with their unbeaten FA Cup record over Everton at stake. It all looked good for The Cottagers when they went ahead through a Danny Murphy penalty. However, The Toffees worked their way back into the game and were level before the half-hour mark. Everton emerged the better side in the second-half and a header from Marouane Fellaini ensured their progress and Fulham’s exit.
“Hasta Manana”
Saturday 28 January 2012 (10:00 am)
Sheffield United v Birmingham City
It’s a case of back to Bramall Lane for the ‘trail’ game later today. January has been a mixed month in the League for The Blades, with two convincing wins, against Yeovil and Bury, offset by two losses to Carlisle United and last weekend at League leaders Charlton. Birmingham have gone unbeaten this month, drawing with Peterborough (1-1), followed by wins against Ipswich (2-1), Millwall (6-0) and Watford (3-0). Both clubs have to date had good seasons and they both occupy a play-off place in their respective divisions.
In terms of the FA Cup, this will be The Blades fourth tie this season and in the last round Sheffield United put an end to non-league Salisbury City’s adventure 3-1, whilst Birmingham put out Midlands rivals 1-0 in a replay at Molineux. These clubs have met previously in the FA Cup on three occasions and on each occasion Birmingham City have emerged as winners. The Blues won 2-1 in 1933/34, 3-1 after a replay in 1952/53, with the most recent tie in the 1983/84 season. In a Third Round tie at Bramall Lane, then Third Division Sheffield United held First Division Birmingham City to a 1-1 draw, before The Blues emerged 2-0 winners in the replay.
This is The Blades toughest test in the Cup this season and will be a good chance to compare themselves against Championship opposition.
Saturday 28 January 2012 (07:00 pm)
Sheffield United (0) – (4) Birmingham City
The Blades FA Cup run came to an emphatic end at the hands of Birmingham City today. To an extent the score-line doesn’t reflect the part United played in this game, although they did at times contribute to their own downfall today. The Blades opened the game very positively and dominated the opening fifteen minutes. Ched Evans, Lee Williamson and Stephen Quinn were causing problems for Birmingham and with over 18,000 in the ground their was a terrific atmosphere inside Bramall Lane. However, with their first corner of the game, Nathan Redmond was picked out and his shot flashed into the net to give The Blues a lead against the run of play. Birmingham suddenly looked a different side, who seemed first to every loose ball and eager for more goals. The Blades were now playing far deeper and allowed The Blues space in midfield. On a couple of occasions Redmond drove at the United defence, but shot wastefully wide. Chris Burke too was coming more into the game and getting dangerously down the flanks. On 38 minutes Burke was involved in getting wide again and his cross was efficiently swept past Simonsen by Adam Rooney to put City 2-0 up, as they cruised towards half-time.
The Blades were first out the blocks in the second-half and dominated the opening ten minutes. Lee Williamson was again a threat to Birmingham as was the experienced Richard Cresswell with a couple of attempts on goal. However, Birmingham weathered the storm, and scored a third on 58 minutes. As they had done in the opening period The Blades backed off and backed off and Wade Elliot took advantage by firing home to put City 3-0 up and send the 4,000 travelling fans delirious. United continued to press, but could find no way past the City custodian Colin Doyle who was to keep a clean-sheet, despite some nervous looking handling all afternoon. With less than fifteen minutes remaining, a period of sustained Birmingham possession saw the ball switched into the six-yard box, where Adam Rooney tucked home his second and a fourth goal for The Blues. As some Blades fans drifted away at the last goal, so the match lost its earlier intensity and after 3 minutes of time added-on the referee blew for time.
On reflection, United will know they had their periods of pressure, but Birmingham were clinical and scored at crucial times. The Blades were somewhat unfortunate to play Birmingham at this point, as the side from St Andrews are running into a bit of form latterly. Danny Wilson will not have the Cup as a distraction now and instead must look to focus his side and ensure they are ready to battle for promotion. City will look forward to the next round and keep their own chances of promotion on the boil.
I’d like to put on record my thanks to Sheffield United as a club for their pricing policy throughout the FA Cup this year. The total cost for the four games I have seen at Bramall Lane has only been £45 and it has been a privilege to have witnessed the four game adventure. Good luck to The Blades in their promotion push.
Sunday 29 January 2012 (7.00 pm)
Sunderland (1) – (1) Middlesbrough
In the first of the two final games of the Fourth Round, the Wear-Tees derby took place at The Stadium of Light in front of a crowd of over 33,000. It proved to be a no-nonsense game that you would expect from such close Northeast neighbours. The visitors struck first when on 16 minutes, Barry Robson brilliantly gave Boro’ the lead. However, hero turned villain, when Robson gave away possession which lead to a goal for substitute Fraizer Campbell who made a goal-scoring return after 18 months out injured.
Arsenal (3) – (2) Aston Villa
At half-time this game seemed only to be going one way and that was a Cup exit for Arsenal. Villa had gone ahead through Richard Dunne on 33 minutes and were seemingly cruising at 2-0 when Darren Bent scored on the stroke of half-time. However, the game all turned in a frantic seven minute spell. On 54 minutes Aaron Ramsey was brought down by goal-scorer Dunne and from the resulting penalty Robin van Persie gave The Gunners a way back into the game. Three minutes later and the game was all square when Theo Walcott was credited with a scrappy looking goal, not that the Emirates faithful cared. The comeback was complete on 61 minutes, this time the other Villa scorer, Bent conceded the penalty, and Captain Fantastic did the rest from the spot. They always say you need a bit of luck to win the Cup. Arsenal will certainly hope so.
In the remaining “trail” game not covered so far, Bolton Wanderers made it through to the Fifth Round after a 2-1 home win over Swansea City. Luke Moore put the visitors ahead on 43 minutes, but The Swans couldn’t hang on to their lead until the half-time whistle. In time added-on, Darren Pratley headed in from a Martin Petrov free-kick. The game was won on 56 minutes when Gerhard Tremmel, the Swansea reserve keeper couldn’t hold a Petrov shot and Chris Eagles gleefully slotted home the loose ball.
After the draw the Fifth Round “trail” fixtures are as follows:
Everton v Blackpool/Sheffield Wednesday
Chelsea v Birmingham City
Sunderland/Middlesbrough v Arsenal/Aston Villa
Millwall/Southampton v Bolton Wanderers
So Wembley is a step closer and as those football pundits from Abba once said, “…the winner takes it all, the loser has to fall…”
Liverpool last met Oldham in the Cup at Anfield in the 5th Round in the 1976/77 season. Liverpool made the Final that year, only to lose to Manchester United. With the Reds already in the League Cup Semi-Final, Kenny Dalglish will be relishing another Cup run. Oldham beat Burton 3-1 in the 1st Round and after a replay, overcame Southend United 1-0 at Boundary Park. Just as Liverpool have progressed in the League Cup, The Latics have had a good year in the knock-out competitions, having made it to the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy North Final against Chesterfield and are just one match away from a Wembley appearance.
It’s a return to Bramall Lane today as The Blades face Blue Square Bet Conference South opposition (and lowest ranked team in the Third Round), Salisbury City. The Whites have hardly set their League alight this season and currently sit in the lower half of the League table. However, the FA Cup has been a real adventure for the team from Wiltshire. City entered the FA Cup at the Second Qualifying Round stage, beating Southern League Premier side Swindon Supermarine 3-0. Poole Town were demolished 6-1 by Salisbury in the Third Qualifying Round and entry into the First Round was clinched with a 2-1 away win at Bishop’s Stortford. Arlesey Town were no match for The Whites as City won 3-1 and earned a Second Round tie at home to Conference Premier side Grimsby Town. The tie went to a replay after a 0-0 draw at The Raymond McEnhill Stadium. The replay at Blundell Park turned out to be a night of drama. Dan Fitchett gave City the lead in the second half and it looked enough to take The Whites through. However, in time added-on Rob Duffy headed Grimsby level. In extra-time Duffy scored again to put The Mariners ahead, but back came City and Brian Dutton brought the scores level at 2-2. The Cup upset was complete with eight minutes to go, when Stuart Anderson converted a penalty to put Salisbury into the FA Cup Third Round for the first time in their history.
The Cup is full of superstition and coincidence and for The Blades there has been a bit of a pattern in their two FA cup fixtures this season. In both games Sheffield United have been at home, have scored three goals in each game, with Ched Evans scoring two goals in each fixture. The Blades opponents in both Rounds have been from the Npower League One, both Oxford and Torquay wore all yellow strips and both clubs like Sheffield are ‘United’s’. Many of these coincidences are broken today by the visit of Salisbury City, but will Sheffield United manage three goals today? Will Ched Evan’s bag another brace? 
Of the game itself, this was always going to be a difficult one for Salisbury given the recent good form of The Blades and the difference in league status between the teams. Sheffield United dominated from the outset, never allowing the visitors to settle on the ball. Within the opening fifteen minutes United had created a number of excellent chances, with Neil Collins header superbly saved by Mark Scott, the best of the opportunities. The Blades were patient in their build-up and were using the wings and switching play to drag the Salisbury defence out of position. This ploy paid off on eighteen minutes when a cross-field ball by Kevin McDonald was picked up by Lee Williamson who drove at the City defence. His pass found space beyond the Salisbury back-line and Chris Porter slipped it in under the advancing Scott to put United ahead. The Blades continued to press and City were thankful that keeper Scott was in such good form as he saved well from Ryan Flynn and Chris Porter. However, United couldn’t increase their lead and went in at the interval just one goal to the good.
In terms of the other Cup “trail” fixtures, there was little romance or Cup magic. Aston Villa won comfortably at Bristol Rovers 3-1. A Marc Albrighton goal on thirty five minutes gave Villa a half-time lead. Gabriel Agbonlahor (a second half substitute) doubled the lead just after the hour mark and Ciaran Clarke added a third on seventy eight minutes. Rovers got a goal back on ninety minutes through Scott McGleish and he could have brought even more respectability to the score-line, but McGleish had a penalty saved in time added on. Premier League Fulham overcame League One leaders Charlton Athletic with a convincing 4-0 win. Clint Dempsey scored a hat-trick with Damien Duff scoring The Cottagers final goal. League Two Macclesfield sniffed an upset in their tie with Premier League Bolton, when Arnaud Mendy put them 2-1 ahead with twenty two minutes remaining. However, David Wheater headed Wanderers level after seventy seven minutes to take the game back to a replay at The Reebok Stadium. 
By the time these teams met again in the Cup (1982/83), Leeds had once more been relegated to the Second Division. A Peter Nicholas own goal just after the hour gave Leeds the lead, but Arsenal were level within a minute as Alan Sunderland sent the game to a replay. In the game at Elland Road, an upset looked on the cards as Aidan Butterworth put Leeds ahead in the last minute of extra-time. However, Graham Rix dramatically scored an equaliser with seconds remaining to force a Second Replay. A coin was tossed to see who would host the Second Replay and it fell in favour of the Londoners. Tony Woodcock put The Gunners ahead, only for Terry Connor to bring the game level. However, with eight minutes remaining, Graham Rix proved to be the Arsenal saviour as he scored the winner to take them through 2-1.
Given the change of rules regarding replays, the events of the 1990/91 ties will never be repeated. Arsenal and Leeds needed four games to settle this Fourth Round tie. Sadly today in the current FA Cup competition, all teams get is a replay, extra-time and the cruelty of penalties. Those epic ties were part of the history and tradition of the FA Cup – and people wonder why some magic has gone out of the competition. The original tie at Highbury ended 0-0 and the replay at Elland Road resulted in a 1-1 draw. Lee Chapman put United ahead, with Anders Limpar replying for The Gunners. Back at Highbury in the Second Replay, the stalemate continued with a goalless draw. The tie was finally won by Arsenal 2-1 at Elland Road, with Paul Merson and Lee Dixon on the score sheet.
So what a way to end the Third Round action. The game overall could not be considered to be a classic, but in “Roy of the Rovers” fashion, Thierry Henry returned to his spiritual footballing home and scored the winner against Leeds. The first half had few highlights and it seemed as though the second half was going the same way. However, on sixty eight minutes the home crowd came to life when Henry came on for Chamakh and within ten minutes the fairy-tale return was complete as he scored from Alex Song’s through ball. Leeds never really threatened to spoil King Henry’s return as the final minutes ticked away.
Friday 02 December 2011 (12.45 pm)
Under a dark sky and pouring rain, the flags on the stands at Bramall Lane fluttered at half-mast. Dismal weather for a sad occasion. The Blades players wore tops in the warm-up bearing the squad number and name of Gary Speed as the crowd slowly filtered into the ground. There was an air of solemnity as the players emerged for kick-off as the Red and White part of Sheffield paid their respects to ‘one of their own’. The minutes applause rang round the stands and the travelling Torquay fans were magnificent in their support of this mark of respect to ‘Speedo’ as they also chanted the former Blades name.
In the second half Sheffield came out brighter and were creating more. Robert Olejnik was being kept busy by the Blades attack and he carried out a magnificent double-save on fifty-two minutes. The Torquay keeper parried a Michael Doyle shot and then brilliantly pushed the rebound from Ched Evans onto the crossbar. With an hour gone, Danny Wilson brought on Kevin McDonald and Lecsinel Jean-Francois. However, it seemed to have little impact and the Blades appeared to be running out of ideas, with Olejnik dealing with everything that was pumped into his penalty area. Football can be a cruel game and with sixty-eight minutes gone Matthew Lowton’s hopeful cross into the box was sliced into his own net by Mark Ellis. The visitors were stunned and in the very next Blades attack, Ched Evans raced through to give Sheffield the lead. The Gulls were on the ropes and the Blades went looking for a third. This duly arrived on seventy-eight minutes when Torquay keeper Olejnik (who had been outstanding up to this point) unfortunately put a clearance kick straight to Ched Evans, who gratefully slotted home for his second. It was ‘game-over’, but credit to the visitors, who didn’t capitulate and in the fourth minute of time added-on, scored their second, with Danny Stevens lashing in. It was too late however and the final whistle soon went.
The final action of the weekend was between Sutton United and Notts County. Ultimately, there was to be no fairy-tale ending to the weekend for non-league Sutton United. However, the result could have been different if, in time added on in the first-half, Leroy Griffiths had converted the penalty awarded to the men from Gander Green Lane. Instead Notts County retained their 1-0 advantage at the break from a Jeff Hughes goal on thirty-five minutes. An equaliser in the second-half eluded Sutton and their fate was sealed in time added on when Hughes scored his and County’s second.
Friday 11 November 2011 (10.30 am)
Just as the fixture in the League proved to be a close one, so did the FA Cup meeting between Cambridge United and Wrexham. In a game of ‘cat and mouse’, Wrexham were twice ahead through Andy Morell, but were pegged back each time with a brace from United’s Josh Coulson. As in the League opening day meeting between these teams, Wrexham must have thought they had done enough to win, but conceded an equaliser (as they did back in August) to Cambridge in injury time.
There is also a good link today between the clubs, which adds a bit of spice to the fixture today, as current Oxford manager Chris Wilder is a boyhood Sheffield United fan and he also made over 100 appearances for The Blades in two spells at Bramall Lane. Also returning to the club he supported growing up, is Oxford goalkeeping coach Alan Hodgkinson who spent his entire professional career with Sheffield United, making 675 appearances.
As the players merged for their pre-match warm-ups they were greeted by a crisp day under a blue sky and fading weak November sun. Both teams went through their routines and the travelling Oxford fans made their presence felt in noisy anticipation of the game ahead. With both sides leaving the pitch as they completed their preparations, Oxford goalkeeping coach and ex-Blade Alan Hodgkinson received an excellent reception from the Bramall Lane faithful. Soon however, the teams emerged once again and after a well observed minutes silence ahead of Remembrance Sunday, the game was underway.
The first ten minutes disappeared in a frantic and scrappy opening with neither side creating a goal opportunity. However, with their first real attack, Sheffield United took the lead on 12 minutes. Richard Cresswell’s attempted over-head kick from Stephen Quinn’s cross fell to Ched Evan, who slammed it in to give The Blades the lead. The goal settled Sheffield and they took control of the remainder of the first half, with Oxford conceding the midfield area, The Blades took full advantage. Ryan Clarke in the Oxford goal made good saves from Ched Evans, Stephen Quinn and Lee Williamson in the opening 45 minutes, but was helpless on 19 minutes when Ched Evans arrowed in his second from a free kick. The home team led 2-0 at half-time and deserved their two goal advantage.
After two impressive away wins at Hyde and Kidsgrove in the previous Rounds of the Cup, Bradford Park Avenue travelled to AFC Totton with confidence. However, the team from West Yorkshire simply imploded against their opponents from the Evo-Stik Southern Premier Division. Richard Marshall was sent off for Avenue after 10 minutes and after 28 minutes of the game his team were losing 2-0. To their credit Bradford got one back through Adam Clayton on 30 minutes. However, any chance of a comeback was short-lived, as Michael Charles restored Totton’s two goal lead before half-time. The second half became simply calamitous for Avenue as Mike Gosney (51 minutes) and Stefan Brown (63 minutes) increased the score to 5-1. Avenue then were reduced to nine-men on 65 minutes when Martin Drury received a second yellow card. Stefan Brown completed his hat-trick with goals on 73 and 79 minutes and the 8-1 thrashing was completed in injury time by a second goal from Jonathon Davies.