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FA CUP: Anichebe scores brace…shock for Chelsea, City, Southampton

January 24, 2015 6:49 pm

The Barclays Premier League top three were all knocked out of the FA Cup on a fourth round day of shocks.

Chelsea were beaten 4-2 at home by League One side Bradford City, Manchester City went down 2-0 to Championship side Middlesbrough at the Etihad Stadium and Southampton suffered a 3-2 loss to Crystal Palace at St Mary’s.

Goals from Gary Cahill and Ramires had Chelsea cruising after 38 minutes at Stamford Bridge but John Stead pulled a goal back before the break and former Chelsea player Filipe Morais equalised.

Andy Halliday made it 3-2 before Mark Yeates’ late goal sent Bradford to the next round.

Manchester City could have few complaints as they were outplayed by Championship promotion hopefuls Middlesbrough.

A Patrick Bamford effort was sufficient for Middlesbrough as they saw off an off-form City at the Eithad.

Some poor defending from the Premier League champions cost them, as they gifted Bamford his goal. Spaniard Kike netted the second in injury-time on the counter-attack.

Southampton lost a five-goal game against Crystal Palace at St Mary’s. All of the strikes arrived in the first half of an entertaining cup tie.

The Saints twice led, before eventually being overhauled by the Eagles who shared four goals shared with Saints in a 12 minute spell before Alan Pardew’s men sealed their win on 39 minutes.

Having already scored one, Marouane Chamakh struck again for the decisive effort when he kept his cool to round Fraser Forster and roll the ball into the net for 3-2.

The surprises continued as Tottenham Hotspur lost 2-1 at home to Leicester City.

Swansea City went down 3-1 at second tier Blackburn Rovers, the visitors ending the match with nine men.

But it was not all gloomy for BPL sides as a first-half brace from Victor Anichebe saw West Bromwich Albion beat Birmingham City 2-1 and progress to the fifth round of the FA Cup.

West Brom took the lead in the 25th minute when Berahino slipped the ball through for Anichebe, who put the ball inside Darren Randolph’s near post from 12 yards.

The Super Eagles forgotten man then doubled his tally as he backed into his marker on the edge of the box before firing a shot inside the far post.