Walsall boss relishing hosting Premier League Leicester in fourth round after 95th-minute penalty took League Two side past division rivals Stockport, while Blackburn make it through to end a five-year hoodoo: FA CUP ROUND-UP
The magic of the FA Cup was on full display as Walsall, a League Two club, pulled off a thrilling 2-1 victory over division rivals Stockport, thanks to a nerveless 95th-minute penalty from Andy Williams. The win sets up a mouth-watering fourth-round tie against Premier League giants Leicester City, a prospect that has Walsall manager Michael Flynn beaming with excitement. Flynn, who has fond memories of the FA Cup from his time as Newport manager, is relishing the opportunity to go up against Brendan Rodgers and his team. “I’m over the moon,” Flynn exclaimed, “Leicester are a magnificent club and Brendan Rodgers is a fantastic manager. It’ll be a real pleasure for me to go up against him in a game that will hopefully be picked for television.”
The match against Stockport was a tightly contested affair, with Danny Johnson’s opener for Walsall cancelled out by Paddy Madden’s equalizer in the 88th minute. However, deep in added time, Madden’s foul on Liam Kinsella in the penalty area gave Williams the chance to win the tie, which he duly took with a cool and composed finish. Flynn was full of praise for his 36-year-old striker, saying, “It was a fantastic penalty. I’m just glad we had Andy on the pitch for it. He’s a really cool customer in situations like that, he’s been there and done it all before.” The win has given Walsall a chance to equal their best-ever FA Cup run by reaching the fifth round, which they have achieved six times, most recently in 2003.
Elsewhere, Blackburn Rovers ended a five-year FA Cup hoodoo with a 1-0 win over Norwich City, thanks to a first senior goal from Jack Vale. The win was a significant one for Rovers boss Jon Dahl Tomasson, who said, “I thought it was a brilliant win for us. There will be bumps along the way, but we are slowly moving in the right direction. It would be great to have another cup run.” The match was David Wagner’s first in charge of Norwich, but his side dominated the game without being able to find the breakthrough. Vale’s goal, which came just past the half-hour mark, was a soft one, with skipper Grant Hanley leaving a routine backpass to Tim Krul short, allowing Bradley Dack to set up the scorer.
In other FA Cup action, Derby County swept aside fellow League One promotion-chasers Barnsley with a 3-0 win at Pride Park. James Collins’ penalty put the hosts in front, before Tom Barkhuizen and Jason Knight added to the lead in the second half. Derby boss Paul Warne was pleased with the result, but worried by a poor first half from his team. “I don’t think the scoreline flattered us, however, it is a good warning sign,” he said. “It’s always great to win and learn, and what I think we’ve learnt in the dressing room was we were just a little bit complacent in our start.” The win continues Warne’s strong run at Derby, and sets them up for a potentially exciting fourth-round tie.
Swansea City and Bristol City played out a 1-1 draw in their FA Cup tie, with Antoine Semenyo’s header cancelling out Joel Piroe’s opener. Swansea boss Russell Martin was left to rue his side’s failure to capitalise on a dominant first half, saying, “The boys were in a bit of a rush at times and there was a lack of quality. We spoke at half-time about the need to retain the same intensity. But Bristol changed shape, threw caution to the wind, and we didn’t play with enough aggression to hold on.” The draw sets up a replay between the two Championship sides, with Martin hoping his team can learn from their mistakes and come out on top in the rematch.
As the FA Cup fourth round draws near, the excitement is building for the remaining teams. Walsall’s tie against Leicester City is one of the standout matches, with Flynn’s team looking to pull off a major upset against the Premier League giants. Whatever the outcome, the magic of the FA Cup is sure to be on full display, with teams from all levels of English football competing for a place in the next round. With the likes of Flynn, Tomasson, Warne, and Martin all eager to make their mark on the competition, the FA Cup is shaping up to be another thrilling ride. The question on everyone’s mind is, which team will be the next to pull off a shock result and make it to the fifth round? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure, the FA Cup never fails to deliver drama, excitement, and unforgettable moments.
