Liverpool, Spurs humbled in FA Cup, Chelsea escape

LONDON (AFP) –

Oldham Athletic’s English player Lee Croft (C) runs with the ball during the English FA Cup fourth round football match between Oldham Athletic and Liverpool at Boundary Park, Oldham, north-west England on January 27, 2013. Oldham won 3-2.

Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur were both dumped out of the FA Cup by lower-league sides on Sunday, on a day of sensational fourth-round upsets that also saw Chelsea scrape a 2-2 draw at lowly Brentford.

The magnitude of the shocks seemed to increase as the day progressed, with Chelsea’s near miss followed by Spurs’ 2-1 loss at Championship side Leeds United before Liverpool went down 3-2 at third-tier Oldham Athletic.

Liverpool’s loss was the most remarkable, with 56 places in the English league pyramid having separated the sides prior to kick-off at a rain-soaked Boundary Park.

FA Cup semi-finalists in 1994, Oldham made an ideal start when Matt Smith headed them in front in the third minute from Youssouf M’Changama’s left-wing cross.

Liverpool replied in the 17th minute through stand-in captain Luis Suarez, only for Smith to restore the hosts’ lead in first-half injury time when he tapped in following a mistake by visiting goalkeeper Brad Jones.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Clint Dempsey (L) vies with Leeds United’s Rodolph Austin and Lee Peltier during the FA Cup football match between Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur at Elland road stadium, Leeds, northern England on January 27, 2013. Spurs wee dumped out of the FA Cup in the fourth round beaten 2-1 by second-tier Leeds.

A glorious Reece Wabara header further extended Oldham’s advantage early in the second period and Liverpool could find no way back despite the introduction of Steven Gerrard and a 79th-minute goal by Joe Allen.

Oldham’s reward was a fifth-round tie at home to Liverpool’s Merseyside rivals Everton.

“I am left speechless by the result. We went out there wanting to battle together,” said Latics hero Smith.

“We rallied and thoroughly deserved the win. We proved what we can do today and we will be looking to do the same against Everton.”

Brentford’s Marcello Trotta (R) shoots to score the opening goal against Chelsea’s English goalkeeper Ross Turnbull during the FA Cup fourth round football match between Brentford and Chelsea at Griffin Park in west London on January 27, 2013. Holders Chelsea neeed an 83rd-minute equaliser from Fernando Torres to rescue a 2-2 draw at third-tier Brentford.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said the changes he had made to his team could not mask an unacceptable performance.

“The FA Cup was a competition we wanted to have a go at and there is no excuse,” he said.

“We put out a strong team capable of winning the game, but we didn’t.”

Liverpool join Spurs, Aston Villa, Norwich City and Queens Park Rangers in being knocked out of the tournament by lower-league opposition this weekend.

Fallen giants Leeds followed up their shock 2010 elimination of Manchester United by sending Spurs out of the competition at Elland Road.

Chelsea’s Spanish striker Fernando Torres (R) arrives at Griffin Park ahead of the game against Brentford during the FA Cup fourth round in west London on January 27, 2013. Cup holders Chelsea needed an 83rd-minute equaliser from Fernando Torres to rescue a 2-2 draw at third-tier Brentford.

The three-time English champions took a 15th-minute lead when Luke Varney scampered down the inside-left channel before calmly beating goalkeeper Brad Friedel.

Ross McCormack made it 2-0 five minutes into the second half with a sweet left-foot shot following a lobbed pass from El-Hadji Diouf, before Spurs replied through a Clint Dempsey header in the 58th minute.

“It’s a fabulous performance,” Leeds manager Neil Warnock told ESPN.

“It’s a great day for us. The atmosphere was good, two cracking goals. There were a lot of heroes today. It was a typical FA Cup tie.”

Brentford players celebrate with Marcello Trotta after he scored the opening goal against Chelsea during the FA Cup fourth round football match between Brentford and Chelsea at Griffin Park, London, January 27, 2013. Chelsea needed an 83rd-minute equaliser from Torres to rescue a 2-2 draw.

Chelsea needed an 83rd-minute equaliser from Fernando Torres to rescue a 2-2 draw at third-tier Brentford as they narrowly avoided a humiliating exit.

A penalty from Brentford starlet Harry Forrester looked destined to send the European champions out of the competition, only for Torres to curl home a fine goal to deny his side’s west London neighbours a memorable upset.

“Brentford did well. We knew they would play with a high tempo and try to press,” said Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez.

“As a team they showed great character. You could see the manager (Uwe Rosler) on the touchline telling them what they needed to do, and they did it.”

The League One side enjoyed the better of the first half and went ahead three minutes before half-time, with Marcello Trotta arrowing home after Ross Turnbull parried a 25-yard curler from Forrester.

Chelsea introduced Juan Mata at half-time and within 10 minutes the visitors were level, as Oscar brought down a high ball and skipped past a couple of challenges before arcing a lovely shot into the top-left corner.

Forrester’s 73rd-minute penalty, after a foul on Tom Adeyemi by Turnbull, brought a huge upset into view, only for Torres to sweep home his late equaliser from the edge of the box and take the tie to a replay.

The fifth-round draw saw Manchester United paired with Reading, while Leeds face a trip to English champions Manchester City.

Meanwhile, non-league Luton Town’s reward for upsetting Norwich City was a home game with second-tier Millwall.