Soccer: Nuneaton keep Cup romance alive

Chelsea's Robert Huth clears the ball during his team's FA cup third round match against Huddersfield at Stamford Bridge yesterday. Chelsea won the game 2-1. Picture / Reuters

A journeyman minor league striker provided the romance in the FA Cup third round yesterday by scoring a last-minute penalty to secure Nuneaton Borough a 1-1 draw against Premier League Middlesbrough.

As the majority of the 6000-capacity crowd shoehorned into their tiny Manor Park ground held their breath, the 29-year-old Gez Murphy kept his nerve to secure a money-spinning replay for the side that sit 100 places below Boro in the football hierarchy.

Nuneaton, who play in the Conference North - five divisions below the Premier League - had trailed to Gaizka Mendieta's 15th-minute freekick.

"It's like winning the game to us," Nuneaton manager Roger Ashby said.

"It was no more than we deserved, we worked hard in difficult conditions and our fitness was good.

"We did not drop our heads [after Mendieta scored].

"The longer the game went they got a bit anxious, we had one or two half-chances and then we got the penalty.

"Now we can enjoy ourselves [in the replay] at the Riverside."

Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren dismissed any notion of complacency.

"We came here with a strong side and we were fully committed," he said.

"Credit to Nuneaton. They battled all the way and fortunately we live to fight another day."

Premier League champions Chelsea needed an 82nd-minute winner from Eidur Gudjohnsen to see off a spirited Huddersfield Town 2-1 at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, who rested John Terry and Frank Lampard plus keeper Petr Cech and midfield anchorman Claude Makelele, was suitably impressed with the third division side, shaking hands with each Huddersfield player as they left the pitch.

"The most important thing is the spirit, it was fantastic," he said.

"They bring thousands of supporters, they play like they play in their league with exactly the same system and they always believe, showing not too much respect for the big team, which is great.

"I like to give them the credit they deserve."

Gary Taylor-Fletcher's 75th-minute equaliser left Huddersfield dreaming of a replay before Gudjohnsen struck.

"We just couldn't manage to hang on," said Huddersfield manager Peter Jackson.

"In the first half we showed them too much respect but in the second half we have come here against the best side in the world and we have really pushed them."

Cup holders and 10-time winners Arsenal made hard work of beating Cardiff City 2-1 at Highbury but manager Arsene Wenger was happy enough.

Two early Robert Pires goals put Arsenal in control before a late strike from Cameron Jerome set up a tense finish.

"You got a typical cup game," Wenger told the club's website. You knew at halftime that they would never give up, they would go to the end and try and nick a goal - which they got - and the last five minutes were interesting again.

"We were steady, consistent, and defended well."

European champions Liverpool survived an extraordinary tie at second division Luton Town, fighting back from 1-3 down to win 5-3.

Spaniard Xabi Alonso scored twice, including an injury-time strike from inside his own half with Luton keeper Marlon Beresford stranded after coming forward for a corner.

"Luton made it very difficult for us and they did a very good job," manager Rafael Benitez told Liverpool's website after a comeback reminiscent of their Champions League final triumph over AC Milan.

"I was always confident that we could come back and win this game. Xabi Alonso played very well for us in the second half and played like a really good holding midfielder.

"He scored two fantastic goals."

Mismatches so far
* Luton Town 3 Liverpool 5
* Newcastle United 1 Mansfield Town 0
* Nuneaton 1 Middlesbrough 1
* Chelsea 2 Huddersfield 1

- REUTERS