Once again the FA Cup third round is here again. The round where the big boys enter and hope not to be added to the list of shocks that gets bigger on a regular basis. Some fans may not like looking back at these but everyone has their favourite cup upset, and seeing as it’s third round weekend, here is a look back at some of the competition’s famous shocks. For part one of this series click here.
Famous Shocks Of The FA Cup Third Round Part 2
West Bromwich Albion 2-4 Woking, 1991
On January 5th 1991, Woking enjoyed the finest day in their history. For West Brom it was a day they wish would be forgotten.
Heading into the game, the Baggies were confident of avoiding an upset even though they were struggling in the old Second Division. Sightings of the players lazing around and a ball boy giving a prediction of 5-0 confirmed this.
A third round victory seemed to be on course at half time as the home side went in at the break leading 1-0. Unfortunately for West Brom, this is as good as it got. Woking, backed by 5000 travelling fans, started the second half full of confidence. A 15 minute hat-trick by man of the match Tim Buzaglo and another by Terry Worsfold put the non-league side from Surrey 4-1 up. West Brom scored a second but it was little consolation. They had been well beaten and their fans accepted this by going onto the pitch afterwards, congratulating Woking and holding their star man Buzaglo aloft in the air on their shoulders.
Wrexham 2-1 Arsenal 1992
This was a typical David vs Goliath FA Cup encounter. Arsenal were the reigning champions of England and Wrexham were a struggling Fourth Division side who had finished bottom of the Football League the previous season. Everything pointed towards an easy passage to the next round for the Gunners. As we all know, the FA Cup does not work like that.
Over 13,000 packed into the Racecourse Ground at Wrexham hoping for an upset but not expecting one to happen, and when Arsenal went in front from an Alan Smith tap in during the first half the inevitable seemed likely. However, as the second half progressed, Wrexham were holding their own and the thoughts of a hammering were beginning to fade. With eight minutes to go Wrexham got a free kick on the edge of the area. Mickey Thomas sent an unstoppable free kick into the top corner to make it 1-1.
Two minutes later, the unbelievable happened. 20-year-old Steven Watkin managed to get ahead of Tony Adams in the box to put the ball past David Seaman and into the corner of the net. Wrexham had done what no one thought possible.
Stevenage 3 Newcastle 1, 2011
League Two Stevenage were playing league football for the first time during this season and caused the shock of the round. Anyone who saw the game will say that Stevenage deserved their victory. They had more shots and more possession than their opponents and the end result did not flatter them. Newcastle boss Alan Pardew was understandably not happy especially as Cheick Tiote was also sent off.
Worcester 2 Liverpool 1, 1959
Liverpool, then of the Second Division but still considered a powerful force, lost to non-league Worcester City. Headlines of “Saucy Worcester” and “Worcester too hot” were common after the match. This match is still seen by some as Liverpool’s most embarrassing defeat ever. For Worcester it gave them a place amongst the rest of the FA Cup’s giant killers. Later that year Bill Shankly took charge at Anfield and the rest, as they say, is history.
Manchester United 0 Leeds United 1, 2010
The former league rivals faced off at Old Trafford with the home side dead certs to make the next round. Not too many years before this game Leeds were big spenders and riding high in the Premier League. However, by the time of this match, Leeds were fallen giants and in League One, the Red Devils were the reigning league champions and 42 places separated them. A Jermain Beckford goal shocked all and sent Leeds into the next round and left Alex Ferguson scratching his head.
