Soccer

Hartlepool enjoy a day to remember

FA Cup round-up : Hartlepool caused the first upset of the FA Cup third round when they knocked out Premier League Stoke 2-0…

Sat Jan 03 2009 - 00:00

FA Cup round-up: Hartlepool caused the first upset of the FA Cup third round when they knocked out Premier League Stoke 2-0 at Victoria Park in today's early kick-off.

Michael Nelson headed in Matty Robson's left-wing free-kick four minutes after half-time before David Foley sealed the win with a 25-yard volley which flew into the top right corner of the net 15 minutes from time.

There were shock results among teams from outside the Premier League too, with Blue Square Premier side Torquay knocking Championship outfit Blackpool out of the cup with a 1-0 win.

Torquay took the lead just after the half-hour when Matt Green latched onto a Kevin Nicholson long ball before driving past Paul Rachubka from 20 yards. Kettering added to the Blue Square Premier's representation in round four after they beat Eastwood Town 2-1 at Rockingham Road.

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Arsenal saw off the challenge of Championship Plymouth with a 3-1 win at the Emirates Stadium as.stand-in captain Robin van Persie grabbed a brace.

There will be no fairytale run for Barnsley this year after they lost 3-0 at West Ham. The Tykes, who knocked out Liverpool and Chelsea en route to the semi-finals last season, were behind in the 10th minute when Herita Ilunga ghosted in at the far post to tap in a Mark Noble cross from five yards. Noble added the second and Carlton Cole sealed the result in the 68th minute when he turned in Ilunga's cross.

Sunderland beat Bolton 2-1 with Djibril Cisse scoring the decisive goal, while their north-east rivals Newcastle were held goalless at Hull in another all-Premier League affair. Shay Given, who earlier this week revealed he might be prepared to leave the club, was the star of the show in the Magpies goal.

Fulham beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 with a late goal from Andrew Johnson while Middlesbrough held off a late rally to beat Blue Square Premier side Barrow 2-1 at the Riverside thanks to an Afonso Alves double.

Leon Osman broke the deadlock two minutes before half-time as Everton beat Macclesfield 1-0 at Moss Rose, while West Brom were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Peterborough, Craig Mackail-Smith forcing the replay with a close-range finish three minutes from time.

Elsewhere holders Portsmouth were held to a 0-0 draw by Bristol City.