Both of the FA Cup third round matches played last nightended in draws after late equalisers, so Everton and West Ham, and Scunthorpeand Chesterfield will have to do it all again before we know which teams willfeature in the fourth round.
Everton 1 West Ham United 1
Roberto Martinez has been a worried man of late, with hisunder pressure side failing to make the kind of impression on the PremierLeague (they lie 13th) that the cultured Spaniard would have wishedthis season. Injuries to key personnel have stalled their progress somewhat andthe failure of their big money signing (£28 million), Romelu Lukaku to recreatethe form he showed last term when on loan has been frustrating, with somefootballing pundits hinting that the Belgian international plays better when heis trying to impress as a loanee.
The fans also seem a bit dispirited of late,with the attendance a little over 22,000 to watch the game.
It had seemed likely to be another dismal result lastnight as the Toffees looked down the barrel of early cup defeat, until Lukakudid what he had frequently done last term and hauled his side back into thematch with an injury time equaliser. Martinez breathed a sigh of relief as hisside avoided the ignomy of a fifth successive defeat and they live to fightanother day, with a replay at Upton Park next Tuesday. The winners will faceeither Doncaster Rovers or Bristol City in the next round.
In a lively first-half, Everton twice shaved the woodworkfrom Lukaku but also saw the Hammers go close at the other end, as the awayside continued their impressive form, retaining possession when possible andworking the ball confidently.
West Ham took the lead ten minutes after thebreak, when James Collins headed in Morgan Amalfitano’s corner and had seemedthe likely winners until Lokaku turned and volleyed in from Bryan Oviedo’scross. Martinez will now hope that the striker can build on that in the league,after scoring only his first goal in seven matches.
Scunthorpe United 2 Chesterfield 2
An entertaining tie ended all-square at Glanford Parkbetween the two Division One sides, as Chesterfield came back from two goalsdown to force a replay thanks to Jay O’Shea’s late strike. Scunthorpe took the leadthrough Chelsea loanee, Alex Davey’s 20 yard strike into the top corner andcapitalised on an error by Ritchie Humphreys to extend the advantage going intohalf-time, as Lyle Taylor scored for them.
‘The Iron’ could not maintain their lead though, as theprolific Eoin Doyle scored his 22nd goal of the season from thepenalty spot with twenty minutes to play and substitute O’Shea’s late strikebrought parity to the scoreline five minutes from the end. The winners of thereplay will face Derby County in the fourth round.
