Officially Speaking – with Keith Hackett
THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION CHALLENGE CUP
FOURTH ROUND PROPER
During my active career, I officiated many games in The FA Cup culminating in the 100th Final in 1981 featuring Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City (see above picture – Chris, Editor).
Yes, it featured that iconic Ricky Villa goal that is played in the media on many occasions!
Friday 24th January 2020
Northampton Town 0 – 0 Derby County
Referee: Darren England
Assistant Referee: Mark Scholes
Assistant Referee: Carl Fitch-Jackson
Fourth Official: Darren Drysdale
Northampton created chances in this game, but failed to take them.
The big talking-point was referee Darren England failing to detect and sanction a home town defender who fouled his opponent. It should have resulted in a red card for the denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, Frankly if this referee wants to cement his position has a Premier League referee then he must be accurate with these big decisions.
Both teams go into the hat for the next round draw.
Queens Park Rangers 1 – 2 Sheffield Wednesday
Referee: Keith Stroud
Assistant Referee: James Mainwaring
Assistant Referee: Anthony Da Costa
Fourth Official: Dean Whitestone
Sheffield Wednesday won this game 2-1 and I suggest that their Manager Mark Warburton will be disappointed with his sides failure to defend.
QPR have gifted a late goal after some sloppy work by the away team goalkeeper.
Saturday 25th January 2020
Brentford 0 – 1 Leicester City
Referee: Chris Kavanagh
Assistant Referee: Constantine Hatzidakis
Assistant Referee: Sian Massey-Ellis
Fourth Official: Andy Davies
Leicester scored within three minutes of the whistle to start of the game. They took the lead in this match after some accurate passing that split open the home teams defence. The home team had chances but failed to take them.
Leicester advanced to the next round and Referee Kavanagh can be happy with his performance.
Burnley 1 – 2 Norwich City
Referee: Michael Oliver
Assistant Referee: Ian Hussin
Assistant Referee: Richard West
Fourth Official: Kevin Friend
Video Assistant Referee: Paul Tierney
Additional Video Assistant Referee: Scott Ledger
This was a top Refereeing team selected by The FA to officiate this game and they delivered a performance without any controversy.
I thought that Burnley’s Westwood was lucky to escape sanction for a reckless challenge which deserved more than the free-kick awarded.
In the second half, the away team took the lead with the home team failing to defend a free-kick. Norwich scored a second to seal the win and although the home team managed to find the net, it was too little too late.
Coventry City 0 – 0 Birmingham City
Referee: Tim Robinson
Assistant Referee: Adrian Waters
Assistant Referee: Matthew McGrath
Fourth Official: Ben Toner
Coventry City play their home games at St Andrews the home of Birmingham City. I used to enjoy my visits to Highfield Road as it always generated a good atmosphere.
Both teams huffed and puffed and neither deserved to win and they both go into the next round draw.
Hull City 1 – 2 Chelsea
Referee: Craig Pawson
Assistant Referee: Nick Hopton
Assistant Referee: Shaun Hudson
Fourth Official: Andrew Madley
Chelsea took the lead inside six minutes and a second from a free-kick to wrap up this tie. No problems for Referee Pawson who delivered a good performance.
Millwall 0 – 2 Sheffield United
Referee: Anthony Taylor
Assistant Referee: Harry Lennard
Assistant Referee: Ian Cooper
Fourth Official: Brett Huxtable
The away team were too good for Millwall and United continue to play a high-tempo game which is a credit to their outstanding fitness levels. Referee looked relaxed and delivered an excellent performance.
Newcastle United 0 – 0 Oxford United
Referee: Robert Jones
Assistant Referee: Nick Greenhalgh
Assistant Referee: Paul Hodskinson
Fourth Official: Leigh Doughty
Video Assistant Referee: Lee Mason
Additional Video Assistant Referee: Mark Scholes
Oxford United were not phased by the attendance at St James Park and played some delightful football. I have a soft spot for them having officiated the Milk Cup Final (League Cup) at Wembley in the Eighties where they beat the favourites QPR.
Two goals were correctly flagged offside in this game and both teams go into the hat in Mondays draw
Portsmouth 4 – 2 Barnsley
Referee: Graham Scott
Assistant Referee: Mark Pottage
Assistant Referee: Steven Plane
Fourth Official: John Busby
The Barnsley fans who travelled from South Yorkshire will have been disappointed to see such poor defending by their team. There were plenty of goals and it was an easy game for Referee Scott to officiate.
Reading 1 – 1 Cardiff City
Referee: Marc Edwards
Assistant Referee: Nigel Lugg
Assistant Referee: Craig Taylor
Fourth Official: Ollie Yates
The big talking-point was how can an Assistant Referee fail to detect a clear offside offence and allow the home team to score a goal?
There was no VAR at the Madejski Stadium so no review could take place.
Reading’s Tom McIntyre received a red card following two yellow cards. He can have no complaints as his second card was richly deserved after his reckless challenge
Sadly there were two isolated incidents resulting in fans been warned against making ‘homophobic chants’.
Southampton 1 – 1 Tottenham Hotspur
Referee: Peter Bankes
Assistant Referee: Neil Davies
Assistant Referee: Derek Eaton
Fourth Official: John Brooks
Video Assistant Referee: Jonathan Moss
Additional Video Assistant Referee: Edward Smart
Tottenham scored the opening ‘goal’ which was correctly chalked off for offside. VAR confirmed this after the ‘goal’.
Son put the ball in the net and after another VAR check, the goal was allowed.
There was a clear handling offence by a Tottenham player that should have resulted in the award of a penalty kick. The referee and VAR failed to detect and punish the offence.
Both teams enter Mondays draw for the next round.
West Ham United 0 – 1 West Bromwich Albion
Referee: Stuart Attwell
Assistant Referee: Marc Perry
Assistant Referee: Timothy Wood
Fourth Official: James Linington
Video Assistant Referee: David Coote
Additional Video Assistant Referee: Daniel Robathan
There is no doubt that David Moyes the Manager of the home team has taken on a difficult task. The home team failed to demonstrate sufficient desire and capitulated and lost the game by one goal.
Referee Atwell was correct to dismiss Ajayi of West Brom for two yellow cards.
Sunday 26th January 2020
Manchester City 4 – 0 Fulham
Referee: Kevin Friend
Assistant Referee: Gary Beswick
Assistant Referee: Edward Smart
Fourth Official: Jonathan Moss
Video Assistant Referee: Jarred Gillett
Additional Video Assistant Referee: Constantine Hatzidakis
Sadly for Fulham they had Tim Ream sent off after he had hauled down Gabriel Jesus. He committed a denial of an obvious goal scoring opportunity offence. Referee Friend was correct in this instance.
The game at that point was over given that Manchester have such a large squad of talented players.
Shrewsbury Town 2 – 2 Liverpool
Referee: Andre Marriner (Replaced by Simon Hooper due to illness)
Assistant Referee: Dan Cook
Assistant Referee: Stuart Burt
Fourth Official: Oliver Langford
There was a surprise call up for Referee Simon Hooper replacing Andre Marriner who reported in ill.
Liverpool took an early lead with a Callum Davis strike and then should have been awarded a penalty kick when the Shrewsbury number two stuck out his arm and made the move towards the ball. There was no VAR in operation so player got away with it.
The score at the end of the first half was one-nil with Shrewsbury failing to profit from several chances that they created.
The start of the second half was a disaster for Shrewsbury after a defender struck the ball straight into the back of the net when trying to clear his lines.
Shrewsbury were then awarded a penalty and this triggered a terrific second-half revival.
Replays of the incident appeared to show that the foul was outside the penalty area. If the free-kick and not the penalty-kick had been awarded then the Liverpool player who committed the offence would have been shown the red for Direct Obvious Goal-Scoring Opportunity.
There was no VAR on hand to help the officials with these close calls which saw a second equalising goal been scored.
This was everything that is good about The FA Cup. Shrewsbury will enjoy a visit to Anfield for the replay.
Tranmere Rovers 0 – 6 Manchester United
Referee: Lee Mason
Assistant Referee: Simon Bennett
Assistant Referee: Daniel Robathan
Fourth Official: Darren Bond
This was a one-sided game, played on a very poor playing surface that was over by half-time. Manchester United scored five of their six goals whilst the away supporters voiced their unhappiness about recent performances and the team’s current form.
Manchester ran out easy winners.
Finally my thoughts are with the family of Jordan Sinnott who played for Matlock Town. He was found unconscious with a fractured skill in Retford on Friday night. Police have arrested someone for suspected murder.
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