4TH ROUND OVERVIEW

Ezzie Brass

A series of scintillating ties between teams from all over the domestic football pyramid saw some unlikely teams progress to the next stage, as the 4th round certainly didn’t fail to disappoint. Among the showstoppers, Wrexham vs Sheffiled United was the pick of the bunch, as Ryan Reynolds and his team seemed to be writing their own script.

No one could have predicted they would do anything to trouble the Championship title contenders, let alone take them to a replay, drawing 3-3. And had it not been for John Egan’s equalising header in the dying moments of stoppage time, the next chapter of the fairytale would have been written.

In the end a valiant effort in the replay at Brammall lane saw the national league side fall just short, as a vintage Paul Mullin display saw it go right to the end once again. Having sent the Welsh fans into pandemonium when he smashed his first penalty straight down the middle, his second was agonisingly saved which gave the home side the momentum to go on and snatch the win 3-1. Nonetheless a brilliant encounter, one which really showcased the magic of the cup.

Elsewhere, Man City saw off Arsenal 1-0 in a much less dramatic affair, as Nathan Aké thwarted Bukayo Saka expertly, and calmy side-footed Jack Grealish’ cutback into the far corner, to grab the only goal of the night with his standout moment of quality. The Gunners failed to create enough opportunities, and with a somewhat reserved side fielded by Mikel Arteta, it was clear that his priorities rested firmly on the league.

In the other all-prem tie Brighton hosted Liverpool, where Japanese prodigy Kaoru Mitoma was the star of the show. Liverpool had taken an early lead through Harvey Elliot before Lewis Dunk’s deft touch to guide Tariq Lamptey’s controlled strike away from Alisson saw the home side draw level before half time. As both sides piled on the pressure it looked as though the tie would go to a replay, before Mitoma’s bit of magic separated the two sides, deep into stoppage time. One touch to feint his shot before smashing home on the volley from close range with remarkable accuracy summed up the young man’s recent brilliant set of performances, as Brighton ran out 2-1 winners.

The 5th round sees 9 of 16 teams in the Premier League, with a real chance for the likes of Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City among others to cause some upsets.

Team to watch out for - Grimsby Town FC

Competing as underdogs in their 4th round tie, the League 2 side defied all expectations. After a resolutely-fought performance away at Luton town, they managed to earn themselves a replay, after a 2-2 draw, in front of the best part of 10,000 fans back at home. Spurred on by the Mariners faithful, the performance did justice the brilliant work of the fans. The Championship side succumbed to the pressure and tension, as the roof was taken off at Blundell Park, with three well-worked goals. They’ve now shown they can compete with the big boys, and there’s no reason why they can’t challenge an under-pressure Southampton tonight. Granted, the disparity in quality between the two sides may make the challenge just that bit out of reach, but one thing they do have over the Premier League’s bottom side is momentum (in the cup anyway!)