Top 10 FA Cup shocks as Grimsby stun Southampton

Grimsby Town wrote their title into FA Cup folklore this week by pulling off a shock 2-1 victory over Premier League opposition Southampton to achieve the quarterfinals of the competitors for the primary time since 1939.

The Mariners scored two penalties both aspect of half-time and survived a late disallowed equaliser to safe a well-known fifth-round win in opposition to a group 64 locations above them on the league ladder.

The fourth-tier aspect additionally entered the FA Cup historical past books by changing into the primary group in 152 years to knock out 5 groups from increased leagues in the identical cup run, having additionally overwhelmed Plymouth Argyle, Cambridge United, Burton Albion and Luton Town en path to the final eight.

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Grimsby’s shock consequence in opposition to top-flight strugglers Southampton has already entered the pantheon in relation to the FA Cup’s lengthy record of giant-killings, however how does it examine to 10 of essentially the most astonishing ends in the competitors’s historical past?

1. Sutton United 2-1 Coventry City, 1989

One of essentially the most revered upsets in FA Cup historical past got here in early January 1989 as top-flight Coventry, the FA Cup winners from two years earlier, had been despatched out of the competitors by Sutton of the Conference (the highest division of non-league soccer) within the third spherical. Tony Rains and Matthew Hanlan scored the important targets at Gander Green Lane as Sutton grew to become the primary non-league aspect to beat top-tier opposition within the competitors for many years. In reality, the Us remained the latest group to take action for nearly 1 / 4 of a century, till National League aspect Luton beat Norwich within the fourth spherical in 2013.

2. Chelsea 2-4 Bradford, 2015

It appeared for all of the world {that a} fourth-round formality was on the playing cards when Premier League heavyweights Chelsea galloped right into a two-goal lead at Stamford Bridge in opposition to a League One aspect some 49 locations beneath them within the pile. However, the Bantams had different concepts and roared again from the brink to stun the Blues with a four-goal flurry from Jon Stead, Filipe Morais, Andy Halliday and Mark Yeates, seeing them sweep a baffled Jose Mourinho group apart to achieve the quarters in opposition to all the chances.

3. Crawley Town 3-0 Leeds United, 2021

One of the latest giant-killings to grace the FA Cup got here in 2021, when Crawley of League Two defied the 62-rung gulf between themselves and their Premier League visitors to tear Marcelo Bielsa’s idling aspect aside at Broadfield. As they headed into the fourth spherical for under the third time of their historical past, the Reds discovered themselves in such a commanding place that they had been even capable of carry on a actuality TV present star as a gimmick substitute for the ultimate couple of minutes of the match.

4. Newport County 2-1 Leicester City, 2019

With 74 locations within the EFL separating the 2 groups, Newport most likely feared the worst after they welcomed current Premier League champions Leicester City to Rodney Parade for a third-round conflict in early January. However, trepidation quickly turned to elation as an Eighty fifth-minute penalty transformed by Padraig Amond proved sufficient to dump the Foxes out of the competitors and provides the Welsh aspect their first win over top-flight opposition within the FA Cup third spherical since 1963-64.

5. Sunderland 1-0 Leeds United, 1973

Sunderland had been milling round within the previous Division Two after they got here up in opposition to a robust Leeds aspect that had been dominating the highest flight of English soccer on the time within the ultimate of the 1972-73 FA Cup. Far from being overawed, the Black Cats floor out one of many competitors’s biggest shocks with a first-half aim from Ian Porterfield and a superb reflex save from goalkeeper Jim Montgomery steering Bob Stokoe’s aspect to victory at Wembley.

6. Wrexham 2-1 Arsenal, 1992

It appeared like catastrophe had been averted when reigning league champions Arsenal took the lead in opposition to Wrexham (who had been backside of the fourth tier on the time) with 10 minutes to go on the Racecourse Ground. The Welsh aspect wanted a miracle and that is exactly what they obtained when 37-year-old veteran Mickey Thomas dispatched an outstanding 25-yard free kick to equalise and eternally etch his title into FA Cup historical past within the course of. With the tide instantly turned, Wrexham pressed onerous and compelled a late, late winner by means of Steve Watkin to ship the Gunners packing.

7. Lincoln City 1-0 Burnley, 2017

Under the stewardship of the Cowley brothers, Lincoln grew to become the primary non-league aspect to achieve the quarterfinals of the FA Cup in over 100 years (since 1914, to be exact) after they eradicated Premier League opponents Burnley within the fifth spherical. The decisive aim got here within the 89th minute when the Imps scored with their solely shot on the right track of your complete recreation — a header from centre-back Sean Raggett that needed to be confirmed by way of goal-line know-how.

8. Hereford 2-1 Newcastle, 1972

Ronnie Radford’s title will eternally be synonymous with FA Cup upset due to his heroics for Hereford in opposition to top-flight Newcastle in 1972. The Southern League aspect had already earned a superb 2-2 draw at St James’ Park to drive a replay at Edgar Street. The Magpies went forward within the 82nd minute by means of Malcolm McDonald however their lead lasted simply three minutes earlier than Radford equalised with what is sort of probably essentially the most well-known and oft-replayed aim within the FA Cup’s whole 152-year historical past — a 40-yard screamer unleashed on a pitch that constituted nearly 99% mud. With the tie compelled into additional time, Ricky George then notched a valuable winner for Hereford within the 103rd minute.

9. Wigan 1-0 Man City, 2013

Another of the good ultimate upsets got here at Wembley in 2013 when a single near-post header from Ben Watson was sufficient to place the cap of Wigan’s unimaginable cup run, a lot to Man City’s chagrin. With Roberto Martinez on the helm, Watson’s aerial prowess within the 91st-minute noticed the Latics raise their first ever main trophy in 81 years of attempting — in the identical season they had been relegated from the highest division.

10. Liverpool 0-1 Wimbledon, 1988

The Culture Club had been systematically dismantled by the Crazy Gang as retro Wimbledon concocted an excellent victory over Liverpool at Wembley within the 1988 ultimate. The Reds had been essentially the most dominant aspect in English soccer within the Eighties however they got here unstuck in opposition to Bobby Gould’s hard-working, tough-tackling outfit. Dave Beasant grew to become the primary goalkeeper to avoid wasting a penalty in an FA Cup ultimate to disclaim John Aldridge earlier than a late header from Lawrie Sanchez noticed the underdogs emerge on high.