Saturday, January 24, 2009

Live text - FA Cup fourth round

EARLY KICK-OFF
Hartlepool 0-0 West Ham (1240 GMT)

1500 GMT KICK-OFFS
Chelsea v Ipswich
Doncaster v Aston Villa
Hull City v Millwall
Kettering v Fulham
Portsmouth v Swansea
Sheff United v Charlton
Sunderland v Blackburn
Torquay v Coventry
Watford v Crystal Palace
West Brom v Burnley
Wolves v Middlesbrough

LATE KICK-OFF
Man Utd v Tottenham (1715 GMT)

GOALFLASHES AND MAJOR INCIDENTS (all times GMT)

606: DEBATE
To get involved use 606 or text us your views & comments on 81111. (Not all contributions can be used)

By Jonathan Stevenson

1247: Jack Collison lays the ball off to Mark Noble on the edge of the Pools area and the England Under-21 man curls it just wide of the angle of post and crossbar.

1246: West Ham are dominating possession at the moment and Hartlepool are having to do an awful lot of chasing and harrying. Ritchie Humphreys is penalised on that occasion for shoving Valon Behrami.

1245: "Stevo, I've been sent to Mauritius for the week for work, enjoying a beer on the beach in 30+ weather. Still, for all that, can't help feeling I'm missing out by not being there for today's games - bring us at least one cupset, please, make my day complete. Cheers."
Dan, via text on 81111

Yeah, cos it's all about making your day complete. Lucky so and so.

1243: Michael Nelson's header loops dangerously close to his own goal and appears to clip the top of the crossbar.

1241: The teams swap sides and referee Lee Mason gets us under way in the north-east. We're a minute late, but who's counting?

1239: You can follow all of today's games via the BBC's local radio stations. Go on, fill your boots.
FA Cup commentaries

1237: It's Hammer time. Well, Hartlepool, at least, will be hoping it is as they prepare to face West Ham at their League One abode Victoria Park. Whisper it quietly, but the locals quite fancy a cupset, I reckon. The teams are out. The atmosphere's cracking. We're close.

1234: "We do want to go through, for us the FA Cup is a very important competition. For me personally, it's been one of the best achievements of my career and I think the players are going to be up for it."
West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola

1231: "I too would like to see Kettering beat Fulham, and the winning goal to be scored by Exodus Geohaghan (possibly the GREATEST, most UNUSUAL footballer name EVER?!!)"
Raccoon on 606
Join the debate on 606

1228: "People do want to come to Torquay, because we're going places. It's a lovely place to live, too, it's a great selling point to take new players down by the sea! The FA Cup is a great opportunity for everyone. It's fantastic seeing all the media here and this is the romance of the Cup, but it won't be romantic if we lose. We must make sure we play well."
Torquay manager Paul Buckle on BBC Radio 5 Live

1225: Five rungs below the glitz and glamour of the Premier League, a pair of non-league teams join the party, dreaming of a giant-killing and a 'Big Four draw' in the last 16. Neither Torquay, who host Coventry, nor Kettering, who entertain Fulham, have ever been as far as the fifth round. Today could just be the day, boys, today could just be the day.

1222: "Looking forward to the United v Spurs game today, it will be a real test of my ability to watch TV and answer calls at work! Come on you Reds!"
Sam Cooper, working, but still on the BBC website..., via text on 81111

1218: Anthony Sweeney has recovered from a foot injury and returns for Hartlepool, with Jamie McCunnie dropping to the bench in the only change to the team that defeated Northampton. West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola rests Lucas Neill and Matthew Upson for the tie, with Julien Faubert and James Tomkins coming in, but otherwise names the same side that defeated Fulham last weekend.

1216: HARTLEPOOL v WEST HAM LINE-UPS
Hartlepool: Lee-Barrett, Sweeney, Nelson, Clark, Humphreys, Monkhouse, Jones, Liddle, Robson, Mackay, Porter.
Subs: Budtz, McCunnie, Collins, Power, Foley, Rowell, Henderson.
West Ham: Green, Faubert, Collins, Tomkins, Ilunga, Behrami, Parker, Noble, Collison, Cole, Di Michele.
Subs: Stech, Neill, Boa Morte, Mullins, Spector, Tristan, Sears.
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire)

1213: But back to the Cup. Premier League-wise, it's an improvement on last year already. In the 2008 edition, only 11 teams even made it as far as the fourth round. This time, just Manchester City, Newcastle, Bolton, Stoke and Wigan are absent. Wonder what they're all up to this weekend. Especially Robinho.

1210: If you're trying to fill up your next half hour, can I suggest you take a cheeky little peek at Sam 'The' Lyon's live text on the Australian Open tennis? Andy Murray has smashed his Scottish way into the last 16 already and Rafael Nadal, who he could meet in the semis, is currently on court. Do come back, though.
Live text - Australian Open

1207: Mustyfrog (see 1157) is getting a whole heap of stick for not using the word 'cupset' in his missive. I'm being urged to ask you, the people, to forget about the word upset. It's got no place on here. Not today.

1204: "Stevo. I'm sitting at work in an Estate Agents wishing I was off to watch West Ham. Mind you, I don't think anyone would notice if I slipped out of the back door and up the M1. Not much happening here today!"
James, Watford, via text on 81111

Surely no-one can afford a house anymore in doom-laden, recession-hit Britain? And by no-one, I don't mean the Plymouth winger. Sorry.
UK in recession as economy slides

1200: Stevo's Predos:
Hartlepool 1-1 West Ham
Chelsea 2-0 Ipswich
Doncaster 1-2 Aston Villa
Hull City 2-0 Millwall
Kettering 1-1 Fulham
Portsmouth 2-2 Swansea
Sheff United 2-0 Charlton
Sunderland 2-1 Blackburn
Torquay 1-0 Coventry
Watford 1-2 Crystal Palace
West Brom 2-0 Burnley
Wolves 1-1 Middlesbrough
Man Utd 3-2 Tottenham
Lawro's predictions

1157: "Upset of the day is Swansea to beat Portsmouth."
mustyfrog on 606
Join the debate on 606

1154: Let's collectively enjoy shaking off the shackles of the league and revel in the freedom and relatively pressure-free environment of the Cup. Wherever you are, whatever you're doing, text me up on 81111 and join in with what is always a top-drawer debate on 606. Share, and share alike.
Join the debate on 606

1149: I hope you enjoyed last night's, ahem, typical blood-and-thunder local derby between east Midlands rivals Derby County and Nottingham Forest. For what it's worth, I thought a draw was a perfectly fair result. On they go, to a replay at the City Ground on Wednesday 4 February.
Derby 1-1 Nott'm Forest

1145: Hello everyone. The FA Cup might not be top of the list of priorities of some Premier League managers, but I'm sure it's right up there for you, as it is for me. It's the world's oldest domestic cup competition, there are 32 teams left and there are some mouth-watering ties today. Impossible not to enjoy, isn't it?

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