Soccer Top pair in Cup upsets

Press, 12 January 1987, Page 24

Soccer Top pair in Cup upsets

NZPA-Reuter London The championship leader. Arsenal, cruised to a 3-1 victory against Reading, of the second division, but its fellow first-division clubs, Charlton and Oxford, were knocked out of the Football Association Cup by teams from the lower divisions during the week-end. Oxford was soundly beaten, 3-0, by the fourth-division team, Aidershot, in the most unexpected result of the weather-hit third-round ties while Charlton lost, 1-2, at home to the third-division team, Walsall, after leading, 1-0. Two other first-division clubs, Norwich and Wimbledon, required late goals to avoid similar embarrassments against more modest opponents. Norwich’s Kevin Drinkeli equalised in the eightyseventh minute against the second-division team, Huddersfield, and Wimbledon’s Lawrie Sanchez and Glyn Hodges scored a goal each in the last three minutes to give their team a 2-1 win against Sunderland, of the second division. Arsenal’s Scottish international striker, Charlie Nicholas, scored twice at Reading where Martin Hayes added Arsenal’s third with a penalty, his eighth among the 15 goals he has scored this season. The highly-rated Trevor Senior equalised Nicholas’s opening goal in the first half, but succeeded only in stimulating the Gunners to a high-

powered second-half response. Aldershot's giant-killing act, one of the most famous cup wins in the club’s history, was watched by a crowd of only 1966. Many of the club’s regular supporters stayed away because of a steep increase in entrance prices: a place standing on the terraces cost *25.30. Those who attended were well rewarded. The defender, Colin Smith, headed Aidershot ahead after six minutes and Glen Burvill and Bobby Barnes added second-half goals. Oxford was well beaten and the Irish international striker, John Aldridge, due to join Liverpool in a *2.1 million deal next month, was substituted 20 minutes from time after failing to have one shot at goal. Charlton’s home defeat by Walsall attracted another small crowd — only 4541 — but Walsall’s fans went home happy after seeing their team come from behind to win. It was Charlton’s lowest home crowd for an F.A. Cup tie since 1927. Mark Stuart put Charlton ahead in the eighth minute, but David Kelly equalised with a 15m shot after 34 minutes. After absorbing heavy Charlton pressure, Walsall scored the winner through Craig Shakespeare in the seventy-third minute. Aston Villa and Chelsea fought out a thrilling 2-2 draw in which Villa equalised

through Steve Hunt with only three minutes to spare. John Bumstead and David I Speedie put Chelsea on top after the Scottish midfielder, 1 Neale Cooper, had scored his 1 first goal for Villa. The Scottish international striker, Graeme , Sharp, ! scored twice as the Cup favourite, Everton, had little trouble in beating Southamp- 1 ton, 2-1. Gordon Hobson replied. Manchester United beat its i great rival, Manchester City, 1-0, with a goal from the Northern Ireland inter- i national, Norman Whiteside, and Queen’s Park Rangers , recovered well to topple Leicester, 5-2. Alan Smith shot Leicester ahead, but the England defender, Terry Fenwick, led a great fightback with .two goals and further efforts from Sammy Lee, Robbie James and John Byrne ensured a big win. Gary McAllister scored Leicester’s second. Tottenham had to dig into its deep tradition for cup soccer to beat the fourth division side, Scunthorpe, 3-2. Gary Mabbutt put the Londoners ahead, but-Steve Johnson equalised only four , minutes later and it was not until Nico Claesen and Chris - Waddle scored in the second - half that Spurs were able to j relax. Kenneth le Mange reawoke it, however, with an eightyseventh minute goal as Scunthorpe fought hard to the end.

Results.— English Football Association Cup, third round: Aidershot 3, Oxford 0; Aston Villa 2, Chelsea 2; Bristol City 1, Plymouth 1; Caernarfon 0, Barnsley 0; Charlton 1, Walsall 2; Coventry 3, Bolton 0; Everton 2, Southampton 1; Fulham 0, Swindon 1; Grimsby 1, Stoke 1; Ipswich 0, Birmingham 1; Manchester United 1, Manchester City 0; Middlesbrough 0, Preston 1; Millwall 0, Cardiff 0; Newcastle v. Northampton, postponed; Norwich 1, Huddersfield 1; Oldham 1, Bradford 1; Orient 1, West Ham 1; Portsmouth 2, Blackburn 0; Queen’s Park Rangers 5, Leicester 2; Reading 1, Arsenal 3; Sheffield United 0, Brighton 0; Sheffield Wednesday v. Derby, postponed; Shrewsbury v. Hull, postponed; Swansea 3, West Bromwich 2; Tottenham 3, Scunthorpe 2; Watford 3, Maidstone 1; Wigan v. Gillingham, postponed; Wimbledon 2, Sunderland 1; Wrexham 1, Chester 2. Scottish F.A. Cup, second round: Rothes 1, Peterhead 3; Stranraer 1, Ayr 1. English league: Division three: Bournemouth 1, Brentford 1. Division four Cambridge 0, Wolverhampton 0; Colchester 2, Lincoln 0; Southend 2, Peterborough 2; Tranmere 1, Hartlepool 1. Scottish league: Premier division: Dundee United 3, Celtic 2; Hibernian 1, St Mirren 0; Rangers 5, Clydebank 0.