Stoke move into last eight
Tottenham forced into replay by third-tier side, Stoke sail through
LONDON: This season’s FA Cup favourites Tottenham Hotspur were held to a 0-0 draw at third tier Stevenage yesterday while last term’s runners-up Stoke City reached the quarter-finals after prevailing 2-0 in another tricky-looking game at Crawley Town.
Spurs, third in the Premier League and with coach Harry Redknapp tipped to take over England, produced a lethargic display with a new five-man defence and had to settle for a replay at White Hart Lane next month.
Louis Saha had the ball in the net but his shot clipped an offside Scott Parker to sum up a bad day for Spurs, the best–ranked team left in the Cup.
Gareth Bale had a superb shot tipped around the post by home goalkeeper Chris Day, a Spurs fan who started his career at the north London club.
“At the end of the game, it got stretched and we were on the front foot. I think we did our homework, they had possession but we had a couple of chances,” Day told ITV.
“(The replay) will be a long shot, It will be first time I’ve been down there this year without having to pay to get in,” he joked.
Joel Byrom had two decent efforts for a hardworking Stevenage on a bumpy pitch and they now have the carrot of ahometie with Bolton Wanderers in the quarter-finals to urge them on in the replay.
London’s three big clubs have struggled in the fifth round with Arsenal being eliminated by Sunderland – who next visit Everton – and Chelsea scraping a 1-1homedraw with Birmingham City on Saturday with Leicester awaiting in the last eight.
Stoke had a man harshly sent off but then scored a controversial penalty as they saw off fourth division Crawley.
Jonathan Walters converted the 42nd minute spotkick, after Ryan Shawcross had gone to ground having barely been touched by Kyle Mcfadzean, before Peter Crouch headed a second after halftime to end a personal goal drought.
Rory Delap was sent off in the 16th minute for a studs-up challenge, the kind of tackle which has prompted much debate in England this season with referees deeming them dangerous but players saying they are just trying to win the ball.
Stoke boss Tony Pulis, angered that Crawley manager Steve Evans had jumped on to the pitch to protest to referee Mike Jones, said he was “really irked” that there is such a discrepancy between tackles given reds and those that are not.
Crawley, who lost 1-0 at Manchester United at this stage last season when they were a non-league side, almost took an early lead when the ball hit Crouch and crashed against the woodwork.
Stoke will next visit Liverpool or second tier Brighton & Hove Albion, who met in a late fifthround tie.