Thirdtier Wimbledon sends West Ham out
LONDON: AFC Wimbledon proved that the spirit of one of the FA Cup’s craziest stories lives on by toppling Premier League West Ham United 42 in a sizzling fourthround duel on Saturday.
Secondtier Millwall dispatched topflight Everton 32 at the New Den and thirdtier Shrewsbury Town was denied the scalp of Premier League Wolverhampton Wanderers in stoppage time.
Manchester City continued its pursuit of silverware on four fronts by hammering Burnley 50. Pep Guardiola’s side was upstaged, though, as AFC Wimbledon, bottom of England’s thirdtier League One and 58 rungs below West Ham on the English football ladder, reminded a television audience of what makes the FA Cup so special.
West Ham made six changes from the side that played in its last Premier League match, but still had players such as Andy Carroll, Javier Hernandez and Mark Noble on the pitch.
It was swept aside, though, as Kwesi Appiah put AFC Wimbledon ahead and Scott Wagstaff’s sublime double either side of halftime took it 30 up against Manuel Pellegrini’s team.
Spaniard Lucas Perez pulled one back for West Ham, and when Brazilian substitute Felipe Anderson curled in a free kick with 20 minutes left, it seemed the hosts might crumble.
But substitute Toby Sibbick headed past Adrian in the 88th minute to send AFC Wimbledon into the fifth round for the first time since the club was formed by disgruntled fans of the original Wimbledon club when it controversially uprooted to Milton Keynes in 2002.
Manager Wally Downes said the result proved anything could happen in football.
‘‘Football is random. There is a load of analysis we do, me included, but on any given day, any team can beat any other team and we have done it tonight.’’
Ten Premier League clubs have exited the Cup and another might have fallen this morning, when Tottenham Hotspur was due to play at Crystal Palace.
Millwall twice came from behind to beat Everton, although its win was controversial.
Richarlison gave Everton a 43rdminute lead, but Lee Gregory’s header levelled before halftime.
Substitute Cenk Tosun restored Everton’s lead but Millwall again hit back three minutes later through Jake Cooper, although Everton were incensed, as the ball went in off his arm.
Everton’s misery was completed in stoppage time when Murray Wallace beat keeper Jordan Pickford from six metres.
Shrewsbury had its heart broken when Matt Doherty earned Wolves a 22 draw and a replay. Greg Docherty and Luke Waterfall had given Shrewsbury a 20 lead, but it could not hang on after Wolves hit back through Raul Jimenez.
Fourthtier Newport County earned a home replay against Middlesbrough as Matthew Dolan made it 11 in stoppage time. — Reuters.