Officially Speaking – with Keith Hackett
The Emirates FA Cup – Fourth Round Proper
(Friday 22nd – Tuesday 26th January 2021)
Friday 22nd January 2021
Chorley v Wolverhampton Wanderers (Result 0-1)
Referee: Taylor, Anthony
Assistant Referee: Nunn, Adam
Assistant Referee: Betts, Lee
Fourth Official: Kavanagh, Chris
This was an excellent game of football and Chorley can be very proud of what they have achieved in this cup competition. The winning goal was scored in the 12th minute from a thirty-yard shot that hit the back of the net from Wolves Vitinha.
Anthony Taylor and his team delivered a consistent low key performance.
Saturday 23rd January 2021
Barnsley v Norwich City (Result 1-0)
Referee: Brooks, John
Assistant Referee: Hudson, Shaun
Assistant Referee: Howson, Akil
Fourth Official: Woolmer, Andy
Callum Styles scored the winning goal in the 56th minute, defeating the current Championship leaders Norwich City who might just have been thinking that they had an easy ride into the Fifth Round. The FA Cup always produces surprises.
Referee John Brooks and his team delivered a game free from controversy.
Brighton & Hove Albion v Blackpool (Result 2-1)
Referee: England, Darren
Assistant Referee: Hopton, Nick
Assistant Referee: Jones, Matthew
Fourth Official: Ward, Gavin
Video Assistant Referee: Oliver, Michael
Additional Video Assistant Referee: Bennett, Simon
Brighton scored the opening goal with a spectacular thirty yard shot that no goalkeeper would have saved. Then on the stroke of halftime, Madine scored the equaliser.
The winning goal came in the 58th minute after a shot by MacAllister was deflected into goal off Alzate.
Referee Darren England looked comfortable and officiated the game really well. I do hope that he receives an appointment in the Fifth Round. He works hard at his game and moves around the field of play with ease.
Cheltenham Town v Manchester City (Result 1-3)
Referee: Attwell, Stuart
Assistant Referee: Hatzidakis, Constantine
Assistant Referee: Hussin, Ian
Fourth Official: Madley, Andrew
This was an impressive performance by referee Stuart Attwell who is looking more confident. Cheltenham opened the scoring in the 59th minute after keeping City at bay for so long. 72 places in the Football League separate the sides and Cheltenham put up some great resilience.
Phil Foden (City’s best player) scored the equaliser in the 81st minute and then City went on to win the tie with a second goal in the 84th and the third in added time. Frankly, the score flattered the winners.
Millwall v Bristol City (Result 0-3)
Referee: Harrington, Tony
Assistant Referee: Leach, Daniel
Assistant Referee: Lewis, Sam
Fourth Official: Bramall, Thomas
Bristol City opened the scoring in the 32nd minute from the penalty mark. Referee Harrington was in an excellent position to point to the mark after the Millwall goalkeeper clearly fouled his opponent.
Bristol went on to score two further goals in the 58th and 72nd minute.
The team of officials have every right to be pleased with their performance.
Sheffield United v Plymouth Argyle (Result 2-1)
Referee: Mason, Lee
Assistant Referee: Wood, Timothy
Assistant Referee: Smith, Wade
Fourth Official: Salisbury, Michael
Video Assistant Referee: Gillett, Jarred
Additional Video Assistant Referee: Smart, Edward
Referee Mason was in a good position to see a shot on goal blocked by the raised arms of Plymouth player Kellan Watts. It was a nailed-on penalty kick but both Mason and VAR said no. I find it unbelievable that an experienced referee should make such an error.
The movement of Mason around the field of play is well below the standard expected and at times he was detached from play.
United were the deserved winners.
West Ham United v Doncaster Rovers (Result 4-0)
Referee: Jones, Robert
Assistant Referee: Lennard, Harry
Assistant Referee: Kirkup, Peter
Fourth Official: Stroud, Keith
Video Assistant Referee: Atkinson, Martin
Additional Video Assistant Referee: Massey-Ellis, Sian
This was a good result for the home team who are playing some attractive football under their manager David Moyes. Doncaster have had a good run in the cup, but the opposition were too strong.
Sunday 24th January 2021
Brentford FC v Leicester City (Result 1-3)
Referee: Oliver, Michael
Assistant Referee: Burt, Stuart
Assistant Referee: Bennett, Simon
Fourth Official: England, Darren
Brentford opened the scoring from a corner kick against the run of play. Leicester equalised at the start of the second half. Michael Oliver was in a great position to correctly award a penalty kick to Leicester Youri Tielmans tripped and from the penalty scored their second goal.
Maddison scored the third and final goal for the away team.
Chelsea v Luton Town (Result 3-1)
Referee: Coote, David
Assistant Referee: Cook, Dan
Assistant Referee: Massey-Ellis, Sia Fourth Official: Tierney, Paul
Video Assistant Referee: Bankes, Peter
Additional Video Assistant Referee: Mainwaring, James
Controversy surrounded the first goal. Chelsea were awarded a throw-in, the match ball struck the advertising board and bounced back onto the field of play. However, whilst that ball was loose, Chelsea picked up a replacement ball and took the throw-in. The referee allowed play to continue, however some of the Luton players had switched off and Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham scored the first of his hat trick of goals.
Chelsea registered the win over Luton and advancing into the next round.
On the subject of the extra ball on the field, we once again see a lack of law knowledge when players and the Manager protest.
Law 5 Deals with the extra ball on the pitch:
Allow play to continue if it does not interfere with play and have it removed at the earliest possible opportunity.
Everton v Sheffield Wednesday (Result 3-0)
Referee: Scott, Graham
Assistant Referee: Scholes, Mark
Assistant Referee: Greenhalgh, Nick
Fourth Official: Simpson, Jeremy
Video Assistant Referee: Attwell, Stuart
Additional Video Assistant Referee: Child, Stephen
Richarlison opened the scoring against a struggling Wednesday team who are without a Manager. Frankly, it was a very disappointing performance from the away team who failed to compete.
Fulham v Burnley (Result 0-3)
Referee: Madley, Andrew
Assistant Referee: Smart, Edward
Assistant Referee: Holmes, Adrian
Fourth Official: Hooper, Simon
Video Assistant Referee: Kavanagh, Chris
Additional Video Assistant Referee: Wilkes, Matthew
Burnley scored a well-worked opening goal from a ball crossed into Fulham’s penalty area and nicely headed into the goal.
With the score at 0-1, Fulham should have been awarded a penalty kick for a clear trip and I was rather surprised that VAR did not intervene. However, Burnley dominated play and were worthy winners.
Manchester United v Liverpool (Result 3-2)
Referee: Pawson, Craig
Assistant Referee: Beswick, Gary
Assistant Referee: West, Richard
Fourth Official: Moss, Jonathan
Video Assistant Referee: Marriner, Andre
Additional Video Assistant Referee: Perry, Marc
Liverpool opened the scoring with a goal scored by Mo Salah. Manchester United scored after the referee Craig Pawson executed a wonderful advantage from deep in the home side’s defence. Referee detected the foul challenge.
It was a pulsating game with some terrific goals that brought the score to 2-2 and Referee Pawson allowed the game to flow.
Pawson was close to play when he correctly judged that Fabinho had fouled Cavani on the edge of the penalty area. Up stepped Fernandes to score a terrific goal, shooting it into the bottom corner of the net allowing the goalkeeper no chance of making a save.
Monday 25th January 2021
Wycombe Wanderers v Tottenham Hotspur
Referee: Moss, Jonathan
Assistant Referee: Perry, Marc
Assistant Referee: Cann, Darren
Fourth Official: Friend, Kevin
Tuesday 26th January 2021
AFC Bournemouth v Crawley Town
Referee: Marriner, Andre
Assistant Referee: Ledger, Scott
Assistant Referee: Taylor, Craig
Fourth Official: Rock, David
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