Chelsea 1-0 QPR 05/01/2008

Chelsea 1-0 QPR

Holders Chelsea held off their west London neighbours but were helped by a Lee Camp own goal to seal their place in the FA Cup fourth round.

The Hoops's goalkeeper was helpless as Claudio Pizarro's low drive hit the post, rebounded off Camp's back and bobbled across the line.

Substitute Patrick Agyemang should have slotted past Hilario after the break as the well-organised visitors improved.

Rangers pressed late on but the below-par Blues dug in to progress.

Rarely do Chelsea host a side richer than themselves but their class prevailed in this battle of the billionaires, despite a spirited performance from the team 35 places below them in the league standings.

The Hoops denied their neighbours time and space early on, disrupting Chelsea's rhythm and breaking up play in midfield.

But the visitors' early zest and work rate soon fizzled out and they fell behind on 28 minutes, albeit through a huge slice of fortune.

Pizarro swivelled on the edge of the box and crashed his low shot off the post, only for Camp to inadvertently knock it back in.

The goal settled the home side who wrestled control of the game in midfield with Steve Sidwell dictating the play.

Shaun Wright-Phillips went close when he fired over from the edge of the box, while Sidwell went even closer when he struck the post with a low drive from 25 yards that had Camp well beaten.

QPR, with five debutants in their starting line-up, failed to seriously trouble Hilario although Agyemang should have slotted past the keeper from close range. Instead, he scuffed his effort into the keeper's arms.

Didier Drogba, bound for the African Cup of Nations on Sunday, made his return from the knee surgery he underwent in early December. But he, and those behind him, struggled to kill off a dogged QPR.

But despite a valiant effort in the last 15 minutes, the four-time winners held out to progress.

Ipswich 0-1 Portsmouth 05/01/2008

Ipswich 0-1 Portsmouth

Highlights: Click Here

Substitute David Nugent's second-half strike ensured Portsmouth progressed to the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Ipswich played most of the match with 10 men after midfielder Liam Trotter was sent off in the 24th minute for a lunge on Pedro Mendes.

The home side responded positively but were undone by the long-ball tactic.

Nugent neatly controlled a 50m ball from defence and finished with aplomb to end the Championship side's unbeaten home record.

Ipswich boasted the best home record in the Football League - with 35 points from a possible 39 - but they were unable to get the better of a team with the best away record in the top flight.

Portsmouth started the game with the confidence of a side who have won seven of their last eight matches on the road.

Hermann Hreidarsson and Kanu both had chances to put Portsmouth ahead within 15 minutes of the start, but Hreidarsson was just wide with a close-range header and Neil Alexander was alert to Kanu's timid effort.

Pompey, defending high up the field, pegged Ipswich into their own half and the home side's frustration flared up with Trotter's dismissal.

The midfielder mis-timed his sliding tackle on Portuguese international Mendes and to the 19-year-old's astonishment - and the Portman Road faithful's - referee Mark Halsey showed a straight red when a yellow would have sufficed.

Ipswich rallied, with Billy Clarke and Denny Haynes impressing, but were unable to breach Portsmouth's defence as the score remained goalless at half-time.

The lively Haynes looked to have given the home side the lead within minutes of the re-start but David James dived low to his right to keep out Haynes's 25-yard effort.

Moments later, and against the run of play, Nugent gave the visitors the lead.

It was Nugent's first goal since the end of September in what has been a troubled season for the striker since his £6m arrival from Preston in the summer.

But he came close to doubling the advatange on the hour, only for his volley to hit the crossbar.

Ten minutes before the final whistle, John Utaka had the goal at his mercy to cement victory but the striker shot wide when it was easier to score.

Ipswich had a chance to make Utaka pay for his profligacy but James again acrobatically saved a menacing Haynes long-range effort.

The home side bombarded Portsmouth's penalty box to set up a grandstand finish but the Pompey defence remained imperious.

Huddersfield 2-1 Birmingham 05/01/2008

Huddersfield 2-1 Birmingham

Highlights: Click Here

Birmingham crashed out of the FA Cup in the third round as Chris Brandon struck a late winner for League One side Huddersfield at the Galpharm Stadium.

Luke Beckett prodded home from close range after just three minutes but Garry O'Connor slotted in after Matt Glennon parried Fabrice Muamba's shot.

Brandon was denied by Maik Taylor and the woodwork from a header.

But Beckett crossed for the impressive Brandon who volleyed home emphatically to seal their place in the next round.

Chasetown 1-3 Cardiff 05/01/2008

Chasetown 1-3 Cardiff



Cardiff survived a scare to end the FA Cup run of minnows Chasetown in their third-round tie at the Scholars Ground.

Chasetown threatened a shock when Ben Steane's cross was put into his own net by Cardiff defender Kevin McNaughton.

Cardiff wobbled but equalised in first half injury time as Peter Whittingham curled a left-foot shot home.

After the break Cardiff took control, Aaron Ramsey heading home in his first FA Cup appearance, before Paul Parry's low drive sealed the win.

As might be expected from a side six divisions above their hosts, Cardiff bossed the early exchanges although without threatening the Chasetown goal.

In classic underdog style Chasetown, who play in the British Gas Business League Division One Midlands, defended deep and waited for a mistake.

Cardiff duly obliged in the 17th minute as the Championship side's offside trap failed spectacularly.

Steane timed his run down the right to perfection and the Chasetown midfielder collected a return pass before delivering a dangerous low cross into the Cardiff box.

McNaughton managed to get ahead of lanky Scholars front man Kyle Perry, but the Cardiff defender only succeeded in scooping the ball into his own net.

With a potential upset now very much on the cards, Cardiff pressed for an equaliser but were unable to get their passing game going on a sticky, muddy pitch.

Whittingham fired a free-kick high and wide, while Parry had a goal-bound shot blocked as Chasetown scrambled and harried in defence.

Scholars goalkeeper Lee Evans had coped well with the regulation work that had come his way, but on 43 minutes needed to make a fine full-length save to deny Whittingham.

That signalled a period of sustained pressure by Cardiff as Chasetown were forced to defend a series of corners.

But with moments remaining until the half-time whistle, Cardiff broke their hosts' resistance to equalise.

Ramsey's incisive pass found Steve MacLean in the Chasetown box with his back to goal, the striker laying it back for Whittingham to clip a left-foot curler inside the post.

After their first-half scare, Cardiff emerged after the break in a more determined mood.

The Bluebirds soon had what seemed a decent penalty shout turned down as Peter Capaldi went sprawling over a trailing leg, and was then booked for diving by referee Graham Laws.

But the Northern Ireland full-back shrugged off his scolding to help put Cardiff into the lead.

Capaldi floated a hanging cross to the back post that Parry nodded back across goal, Ramsey arriving at pace to head home from close range.

It was a fine reward for the youngster, impressive on his first FA Cup outing, who only turned 17 on Boxing Day and has just signed his first professional contract.

Chasetown brought on Danny Smith, the goal-scoring hero from the second-round win over Port Vale, who was soon proving a handful with his pace and close control.

But Cardiff made the game safe with a third goal on 73 minutes, Joe Ledley's pass across the left channel allowing Parry to strike the ball through Evans' legs into the net.

Although Chasetown's FA Cup adventure is ended, at least for this season, they have made history by being the lowest-ranked side to ever reach this stage of the competition.

The players deservedly took a lap of honour after the final whistle, in front of the 2,420-crowd fully appreciative of what their team has achieved.

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