King slays Stoke
LONDON: Norway striker Josh King scored a hat-trick as secondtier Blackburn Rovers reached the FA Cup quarter-finals by coming from behind to beat 10-man Stoke City 4-1 on Saturday.
Stoke manager Mark Hughes saw his side take a 10th-minute lead against his former club at Ewood Park when Peter Crouch volleyed home at a corner, only for King to head in an equaliser in the 36th minute.
After Geoff Cameron was sent off for holding King back, Rudy Gestede put Blackburn in front with a penalty on the stroke of half-time before King completed his treble with quick-fire goals early in the second period.
Asked if his side could go on and claim a first FA Cup trophy since 1928, victorious manager Gary Bowyer joked: “Do me a favour, I’ve just finished this game!
“We are just delighted to be in the next round. We would love another home tie and then we will go from there.”
Earlier, Brown Ideye continued his fine recent form by scoring twice as West Bromwich Albion beat a woeful West Ham United 4-0 at The Hawthorns to also reach the last eight.
The Nigeria striker, West Brom’s £10 million ($15.2 million, 13.4 million euros) record signing, scored either side of a 25-yard strike from James Morrison to take his tally to four goals in three games.
West Ham substitute Morgan Amalfitano was sent off after shoving Chris Brunt in the face and Saido Berahino added a fourth to rubber-stamp West Brom’s progress to the quarter-finals for the first time since 2008.
“It was a good performance and we’re very pleased, but there’s still a long way to go in the league and we need that bit of luck with the next draw,” West Brom manager Tony Pulis told BT Sport.
“Brown Ideye was fantastic. He is scoring goals and that takes the weight off your shoulders, and he looks a good player.”
Five-time winners West Brom have now won five of the eight matches since Alan Irvine was succeeded as manager by Pulis, who is bidding to emulate his achievement of guiding Stoke City to the final in 2011.
Blackburn and West Brom were joined in the quarter-finals by Reading, who won 2-1 at fellow Championship side Derby County courtesy of a late strike by former Portsmouth, Middlesbrough and Everton striker Yakubu.
Manchester United face a third consecutive tie against lowerleague opposition on Tuesday when they visit third-division Preston North End. - AFP