UN LUCKY IN GLOVE
Keeper’s Sunday League blooper throws lifeline to Brighton, who go through on pens
MILLWALL 2 Pearce 70 O’Brien 79 BRIGHTON 2 Locadia 88 March 90+5 (aet: Brighton win 5-4 on penalties)
As the clock ticked beyond the 80th minute, the chants from the Millwall supporters began. Loud and proud, the Cold Blow End reverberated to the ditty ‘ Manchester City, we’re coming for you’. Then came ‘Que sera sera’.
With a 2-0 lead against Premier League Brighton, few could dispute their confidence. They had seen Everton mauled at the Den already this season and now it seemed Brighton had been chewed up and spat out by another ferociously committed performance. Neil Harris’ side scored twice in a blistering nine-minute spell, first Alex Pearce in the 70th minute and then Aiden O’Brien. Wembley beckoned.
Then, all of a sudden, the complexion of the contest changed. solly March, on as a substitute, tricked his way down the wing and laid the ball back to another substitute, Jurgen Locadia, who spun rapidly and blasted into the goal. Brighton, for the first time, turned up the heat and resembled a Premier League team. March weaved inside and teed up Jose Izquierdo but the winger struck into the goalkeeper’s arms as a line of Brighton players waited in the six-yard box.
Then normal time entered its lunatic last reel. Ten seconds remained in the fifth minute of injury time. A Brighton free-kick, midway inside the Millwall half but over to the right. March curled it in, inswinging. At first, it seemed overhit and a terrible waste and it sailed towards the goalkeeper’s grasp. And then it happened. Only David Martin will know how he allowed the ball through his grasp and into the top corner. Martin placed his gloves over his face. Every one of his team-mates put their hands on their heads. some sank to their knees and on to the turf.
At the full- time whistle, Harris searched out his goalkeeper and patted his head. A few words of comfort. But, really, what could he say? This was a sunday League blooper in an FA Cup quarter-final.
Martin knew. The whole stadium knew. Millions watching on terrestrial television knew.
Having survived extra time, Martin could redeem himself in a penalty shoot- out. sadly, it was not to be. Brighton did miss one — Glenn Murray hitting the bar — but they scored five other spot-kicks as Mahlon Romeo was denied by Mat Ryan before centre-back Jake Cooper became jelly-legged and slashed over the top in sudden death.
so instead it is Brighton coming for Manchester City in the club’s first FA Cup semi- final since 1983. It was bitterly unfortunate for Millwall and their manager. Fifteen years ago, Harris scored the winning goal in a quarter-final at Tranmere to catapult Millwall into the FA Cup final four.
Now he masterminds matters from the dugout. He and Millwall are kryptonite for Premier League opponents. Watford, Bournemouth, Leicester and Everton have all crshed out of the Cup in Bermondsey in recent times.
Another upset was on the cards. Millwall were the superior side, even if they were aided by officiating oversights.
In the 70th minute, they deservedly broke through but there was controversy.
In the FA Cup, VAR is only in operation for fixtures at Premier League grounds and Brighton fell behind to a goal that would have been ruled out had they been at home. Murray Millwall’s As a corner to the Cooper rugby- tackled sailed over from the left, ground, blocking off
Pearce’s marker and allowing the defender to drift around the back post unchecked and bullet a header into the goal. Murray was furious but referee Chris Kavanagh had not seen the foul.
Brighton were similarly frustrated by events in the final minute of extra time. Dale Stephens clipped a wonderful pass in behind for Martin Montoya, who teed up Locadia and scored. Yet the flag of assistant referee Sian Massey went up for offside. Replays again showed the officials to be incorrect.
The opening goal injected greater belief into Millwall and soon a second arrived. Wallace dribbled to the byline, pulled the ball low across goal and O’Brien, on his 200th Millwall appearance, outmuscled Montoya to convert.
Even in extra time, Millwall went again. James Meredith stuck low and hard, forcing a terrific save by Ryan before Romeo volleyed over on the rebound. Yet Millwall’s collective effort continued to be