Cup shock as Toffees come unstuck at Brentford
BRENTFORD(1) vs EVERTON (1)
4-3 on pens; 1-1 after 90 mins
LEAGUE ONE Brentford caused a huge shock last night when they dumped Premier League heavyweights Everton out on penalties at a delirious Griffin Park. Striker Jermaine Beckford and defender Phil Jagielka, right, missed from the spot as the Toffees lost the shootout 4-3, having drawn 1-1 after 120 minutes.
There had been no sign of an upset when Seamus Coleman slotted the visitors in front after just six minutes, but Gary Alexander hauled the underdogs level before half-time with a powerful header.
Charlie MacDonald missed a chance to win it for the home team in 90 minutes from the penalty spot, but recovered his composure to score in the shoot-out as ecstatic Brentford fans swarmed onto the pitch to celebrate. Defeat adds to Everton boss David Moyes’s woes, having taken just two points from their first five league matches.
On-loan striker Victor Obinna struck his first West Ham goal as under-fire Avram Grant earned a morale-boosting 2-1 victory at Sunderland.
Nigerian Obinna, who arrived from Inter Milan in the summer, set up Frederic Piquionne to put the Hammers ahead after 35 minutes.
Sunderland levelled before half-time when Ghanaian World Cup star Asamoah Gyan pounced at the near post to head home a Jordan Henderson corner. But Obinna sent the visitors into the fourth round and earned a first win over top-flight opposition of the season just before the hour when he finished a neat passing move.
In another all-Premier League tie, Fulham’s hopes of a cup run were dashed by a 2-0 defeat at Stoke. Defender Danny Higginbotham nodded in a Matthew Etherington corner to put the home side in front and striker Kenwyne Jones headed a late second from Rory Delap’s throw-in.