Everton end Chelsea's grip on the FA Cup
Saturday, February 19, 2011
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Everton FC ended Chelsea FC's two-year hold on the FA Cup with a shoot-out win at Stamford Bridge in a fourth-round replay, before Manchester United FC edged Crawley Town FC.
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Chelsea FC's bid for a hat-trick of FA Cup triumphs is over after a 4-3 defeat on penalties by Everton FC in Saturday's outstanding fourth round tie, while Manchester United FC narrowly overcame Crawley Town FC to reach the last eight.
The Blues, who had not lost in the competition since a 1-0 defeat by Barnsley FC in March 2008, looked set to progress once again when Frank Lampard opened the scoring with a low strike in the first period of extra time. Leighton Baines forced penalties, however, with a 119th-minute free-kick and with both sides having failed once from the spot, Ashley Cole's miss enabled Everton captain Phil Neville to seal the Toffees' first victory at Chelsea since 1994.
In the fifth round, a glancing header from Wes Brown − his first goal since October 2008 − was all that separated United and Crawley, the only non-league team who were left in the tournament. Elsewhere, there were 3-0 home wins for Birmingham City FC and Stoke City FC against Sheffield Wednesday FC and Brighton & Hove Albion FC respectively.
