Saints and Spurs move into fourth round
LONDON: Shane Long scored the winner as Premier League high-flyers Southampton saw off second-tier Ipswich Town 1-0 in their FA Cup third-round replay on Wednesday.
Victory saw the Saints, third in the Premier League, book a fourth-round tie at home to top-flight rivals Crystal Palace — a side now managed by former Southampton boss Alan Pardew.
Meanwhile Mauricio Pochettino, another ex-Southampton manager, had a night to remember as his Tottenham Hotspur team came from 2-0 down to beat Burnley 4-2 at White Hart Lane to set up another all-top division Cup clash, at home to basement club Leicester.
Elsewhere, third-tier Bradford defeated second division Millwall 4-0 as the Bantams booked a lucrative glamour tie away to Premier League leaders Chelsea.
Ipswich had done well to hold Southampton, third in the Premier League, to a 1-1 draw at St Mary’s and the 1978 FA Cupwinners had an early effort from Stephen Hunt disallowed for offside.
It needed an opportunist strike from Long to give south coast side Southampton, fresh from their morale-boosting win away to Manchester United — the team they beat to win the 1976 FA Cup final — the lead in the 19th minute at a windswept Portman Road.
Saints’ James Ward-Prowse was dispossessed by an excellent sliding tackle from Ipswich’s Tommy Smith.
But as the loose ball squirted away to the right of the area, Republic of Ireland striker Long let fly with a first-time shot for what turned out to be the only goal of the game.
There was a frantic start in north London with three goals inside the opening 10 minutes at White Hart Lane.
Marvin Sordell gave visitors Burnley a third-minute lead and five minutes later the Clarets, who held Spurs to a 1-1 draw at Turf Moor, were 2-0 ahead when Ross Wallace’s 25-yard free-kick took a huge deflection off Roberto Soldado and beat the wrongfooted Michel Vorm.
But within minutes Spurs, who beat Burnley to win the 1962 FA Cup final, had pulled a goal back.
Andros Townsend’s cross was nodded on by Soldado and Paulinho took the ball on his chest before unleashing a half-volley.
Spurs equalised on the stroke of halftime through Etienne Capoue before two goals early in the second half, from Vlad Chriches and Danny Rose, completed the comeback.
Afterwards, Pochettino said his side had been involved in a “strange game”.
“It was key to go in at half-time at 2-2,” he added. “The team has shown character and faith... I am happy they showed character because that is important.”
Burnley manager Sean Dyche said: “We came here to win but it was a game of mistakes from us.”