Will Grigg stars with two goals as Wigan shock West Ham in FA Cup
Swansea and Huddersfield play out to a 1-1 draw
LONDON: Will Grigg scored twice as third-tier Wigan knocked 10-man West Ham out of the FA Cup with a 20 win yesterday. Wigan have slumped down English football’s ladder since winning the FA Cup in 2013 but the League One leaders rekindled memories of that run to Wembley as they reached the last 16 of this season’s edition at the expense of David Moyes’s Premier League side.
Northern Ireland striker Grigg made it five goals in as many Cup ties this season when he put Wigan ahead as early as the seventh minute with a towering header past England goalkeeper Joe Hart. To make matters worse for the Hammers they were a man down four minutes into the second half when Arthur Masuaku was sent-off, having appeared to spit at Wigan’s Nick Powell.
Grigg made it 2-0 from the penalty spot shortly after the hour mark following Reece Burke’s handball in the box. Elsewhere struggling Premier League sides Swansea and Huddersfield played out 1-1 draws with lower-division Notts County and Birmingham City respectively, leading to unwanted replays for teams whose priority is remaining in the top flight.
The Swans, bottom of the Premier League, took the lead when Luciano Narsingh scored just his second goal in 31 games for the Welsh club on the stroke of half-time. But fourth-tier County equalised in the 62nd minute through Jon Stead.
It was a similar story when a much-changed Huddersfield side, indicating manager David Wagner’s preference for Premier League survival over a Cup run, took an early lead against Birmingham through a Steve Mounie header. Lukas Jutkiewicz, however, drew a Birmingham side battling to avoid relegation from the second-tier Championship level in the 54th minute. Premier League Brighton were also on the verge of a replay until Glenn Murray’s 90th-minute goal secured a 1-0 win over Championship side Middlesbrough. Nottingham Forest’s FA Cup run ended just one round after they knocked out holders Arsenal courtesy of a 21 defeat by Championship rivals Hull.
The first of this weekend’s all-Premier League ties saw Southampton beat Watford 1-0 as Jack Stephens marked his 24th birthday with a goal to ensure Javi Gracia’s reign as Hornets manager started with a defeat.
Fourth-tier Newport County will hope to pull off a classic ‘giantkilling’ when they face eight-times winners Tottenham Hotspur at their Rodney Parade ground in south Wales later Saturday. Liverpool play West Brom at Anfield in the last of yesterday’s ties. Chelsea face Newcastle in another all top-flight clash today when league leaders Manchester City continue their bid for an unprecedented ‘quadruple’ of major trophies away to second-tier Cardiff. — AFP
Javi Gracia’s reign as Hornets manager start with a defeat