Euro 2013: England Women 0-3 France Women

England Ladies were knocked out of Euro 2013 tonight as they were handsomely beaten 3-0 France in their final group game.

The defeat means the Lionesses finished bottom of Group C with just the one point having been beaten by Spain and only managing a draw against Russia.

A draw with France may have been enough for England, but the quality shown by their opponents was too much and were left second best for much of the game.

An early strike from Eugenie le Sommer, and two goals inside six minutes of the second half, was enough for the French to cruise through, finishing top of the group with nine points.

Despite having already qualified for the quarter finals, the French dominated from the off and it was Le Sommer who came closest as she struck the inside of the post in the eight minute.

The striker who plays for Lyon, was involved again just 60 seconds later receiving the ball inside the 18-yard box allowing her to guide the ball past the despairing Karen Bardsley in the England goal.  

France could have been two goals up seconds later as captain Sandrine Soubeyrand unleashed a powerful 25 yard drive that flew inches over the England crossbar. 

picture: gettyimages

England couldn't handle the French pace and attack and were undone once again allowing Elodie Thomis to fire an effort at goal only for Bardsley to save well at her near post.

The second half began a lot brighter for England, as Hope Powell introduced Jill Scott to the game replacing Anita Asante in midfield. 

However the French continued their attack and Thomis was involved again as she raced through on goal, only to see her effort fly wide of the upright.

With England beginning to get back into the game, Hope Powell brought on Kelly Smith, but within moments of the change, the French added two quick fire goals.

Louisa Necib curled home from outside the box to double the lead, and she then turned provider moments later as her cross was met by defender Renard, whose powerful header flew past the helpless Bardsley. 

Despite being three goals down, and out of the competition, England showed great fight in the last 20 minutes of the game, with Ellen White guilty of missing England's best chance.

The defeat meant an early exit for the England Women who fail to get out of the group stage for the first time since 2005. 

England: Bardsley, A. Scott, Houghton, Bradley, Stoney, Asante (J. Scott 46') Williams, Aluko (Smith 60') White, Carney (Clarke 73') Duggan

France: Deville, Renard, Franco, Houara, Delannoy, Soubeyrand (Bussaglia 46') Henry (Catala 61') Necib, Le Sommer, Thomis, Thiney (Abily 46')

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Euro 2013: England Women 1-1 Russia Women

picture: zimbio.com

A stoppage time equaliser against Russia, from substitute Toni Duggan, means England Ladies remain within a faint chance of progressing from Group C.

The Everton Ladies forward netted in the dying moments of the game cancelling out Russia's first half goal from Nelli Korovkina.

Duggan had been denied moments earlier by the woodwork but her first goal for her country means a win against France on Thursday will see the Lionesses progress to the quarter-finals.

England had started the game the better of the sides as Ellen White saw her shot on the swivel sail over the Russian goal.

Karen Bardsley was called into action moments later as she was forced into a smart save, diving to her right to palm a Petrova header away from the goal.

England's bright start continued early on as Jill Scott was brilliantly denied a goal by Russian keeper Todua who tipped her effort onto the woodwork.

Despite being on the backfoot, Russia looked dangerous on the counter and nearly took the lead as Korovkina's 30 yard dipping effort sailed agonisingly wide of Bardsley's right hand upright.

At the other end, England were creating more chances as Steph Houghton headed wide when well placed, as well as Alex Scott, whose left footed shot drifted wide of the post.

With England's inability to take the lead, it was Russia who broke the deadlock in the 38th minute of the game.

A left wing cross from Elena Morozova was poorly defended by the England back line, allowing Korovkina to head past Bardsley from close range.

The goal knocked England's confidence and gave them 45 minutes to keep themselves in the competition.

They could have been level early on in the second half, but Ellen White was unable to guide a Karen Carney cross into the goal.

As time began to disappear, Hope Powell introduced the injured Kelly Smith, who replaced Houghton as a last gasp attempt to save the game.

The change paid dividend as a deflected cross from Smith fell to the foot of fellow sub Duggan who stroked the ball home from 12 yards, to give England a small chance of progressing.

Championship 2012/13: Season Review

Moving on from League's One and Two, focus turns to the Championship and a time to reflect on a brilliant season in the top division of the Football League.

The craziness on the final day of the season was one that will take some beating, and as for the play-offs, the level of entertainment will be difficult to match. Automatic promotion, the play-off positions and relegation all needed sorting on the final day of the season with the majority of the sides in the league having something to play for.

The race for the title was settled fairly quickly as Cardiff finally secured promotion after a number of unsuccessful attempts in previous seasons. Under the management of Malky Mackay, the Bluebirds finished eight points clear of second place. It was the battle for second place though that caught the eye throughout the year as it went down to the final moments of the last game of the season. Watford and Hull had it all to play for as the latter at one point were six points clear of Watford. However after a poor run in their final few games, Hull managed to better Watford's result on the final day of the season to finish second and give Steve Bruce another chance to manage in the Premier League.

Malky Mackay guided Cardiff to the Premier League

For Watford and Gianfranco Zola, it was the play-offs. The drama continued for the Hornets as they overcame Leicester in the semi finals to reach Wembley and be 90 minutes away from the Premier League. The drama came as Leicester were awarded a late penalty in the second leg of the semi final which if scored, essentially sent them through to the final. However a heroic double save from Manuel Almunia allowed Watford to break up the field and score themselves sending their fans wild and putting them through to the final. They faced Crystal Palace in the battle for the final promotion spot, with an extra time penalty from Kevin Phillips making sure it was Ian Holloway's men who made a return to the top flight, after an eight year absence. They had beaten Brighton 2-0 over two games in their semi final.

Moving down to the other end of the table, and the fight for survival also went down to the final day of the season. Bristol City had already been relegated before the final day, as six teams went head to head to avoid the drop. Having already been relegated from the Premier League in the previous season, Wolves faced another relegation as they were beaten by Brighton to send them down to League One. They were joined by battling Peterborough United who threw away a 2-1 lead away at Palace to lose 3-2, and saw Barnsley draw at Huddersfield to end their time in the second tier of English football. The results on the final day meant that looking at the final league table, just the seven points separated third bottom Peterborough with tenth place Derby County.

Looking forward to the 2013/14 season, six new teams join the Championship. Coming from the Premier League will be QPR, Reading and Wigan Athletic, with all three teams looking to make an immediate return to the top flight. From League One, Doncaster, Bournemouth and Yeovil will join the division making up the 24 teams.

The fixtures for the 2013/14 Championship season will be released on Wednesday 19th June 2013 at 9am.

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FA Cup Final Preview: Man City v Wigan Athletic

It's that time of the year again when silverware is decided, memories are made and every decision is critical. This Saturday evening sees the FA Cup Final which will be contested between former Premier League champions Manchester City and fellow top flight side Wigan Athletic. It has been an interesting season for both clubs with this final meaning something different for both clubs. Manchester City look likely to finish second this season having missed out on the title to rivals United, while opponents Wigan are attempting another miraculous escape from the league's relegation zone.

Man City:

picture: mcfc.co.uk

Having missed out on the Premier League, Roberto Mancini will be desperate to win the FA Cup and take a piece of silverware back to the Etihad. His men have now made the final for the second time in three seasons after they beat Stoke at Wembley two years ago thanks to a Yaya Toure goal. City reached the final this year thanks to a 2-1 victory in the semi finals over Chelsea with goals from Samir Nasri and Sergio Aguero. But it is Carlos Tevez who leads the scoring charts for City this season, and is the top scorer in this competition for the blues with five goals. Goals have been hard to come by this year for City though, and this hasn't been helped with the injuries to Aguero and playmaker David Silva. City will be strong favourites to win the final but these two met just a few weeks ago in the league where City scraped a 1-0 home win. Second choice goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon has played in every round of the competition this season conceding just the once and Mancini is likely to keep faith with him by using him this weekend. The Romanian was a star performer in the semi final against Chelsea making a number of good saves.

One to watch: Carlos Tevez
Argentinian striker Carlos Tevez has been one of the stand out players for City this season. With 17 goals this season he leads the goalscoring charts for the club. His goal was enough to separate City and Wigan when they met a few weeks ago at the Etihad.  The forward has excellent vision and although he is well known to play up front, he is more than capable to drop off and create chances as an attacking midfielder. Tevez expressed his desire to leave at the end of the season recently to Argentinian TV, and a win on Saturday maybe the perfect send off for him.

Wigan Athletic:

picture: gettyimages

The Lactics are in yet another relegation battle this season. Despite this, Roberto Martinez's side have had quite a run in this year's competition which included a 3-0 away win at Everton. It was Millwall who Wigan defeated in the semi final with the Premier League side winning comfortably 2-0 with goals from Arouna Kone and Callum McManaman. It is the latter though that has gathered attention this season both good and bad. The youngster has been in fine form this season and has three goals in this season's FA Cup. As well as Millwall, the winger scored against Huddersfield and Everton and is very likely to be in the starting eleven at the weekend. The final has come at a very busy time for the Lancashire club as they play three games in a week. With victory over West Brom at the weekend, they host Swansea mid week before making the journey to Wembley on Saturday. Martinez will be desperate to avoid repeating Birmingham City, who in 2011, won the Carling Cup and then were relegated in the same season.

One to watch: Shaun Maloney
Scottish playmaker Maloney has been one of the star performers for Wigan this season without a doubt. The Scotsman has been involved in several key moments for them this season including a stand out performance in the recent away win at West Brom. His last minute free kick against QPR may also prove vital if Wigan are to stay up this season. Maloney's good form this season may see him leave at the end of the season with boss Martinez resigning to the fact this is very possible. His quick feet and pace is a pain for defenders and alongside his excellent set pieces, Maloney will have to be on top of his game if Wigan are to pull off a shock this Saturday.

Prediction: Manchester City 3-1 Wigan Athletic

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FA Cup Fifth Round: Ones to watch

It's that time of the season again where we are down to the last sixteen of the FA Cup. This years fixtures will see seven of the eight games played this weekend with Chelsea and Brentford playing their replay of their fourth round fixture on Sunday.

1# Luton v Millwall

picture: www.standard.co.uk

All eyes will be on this game as it opens the weekend's FA Cup games. Luton have flown the non-league flag throughout the competition having knocked out Norwich City in the last round at Carrow Road, becoming the first non-league side to do this in 24 years. It may have not been the 'big' tie Luton fans and players may have wanted, but a home tie against mid-table Championship side Millwall, offers them another opportunity to produce a shock. Millwall have lost their last three games in the league, are appearing in the fifth round of the cup for the second successive season having fallen to Bolton Wanderers at the same stage last season. Prediction: 1-1

2# Oldham v Everton
League One side Oldham produced one of the shocks of the round three weeks ago as they produced a stunning performance to knock out Liverpool in the fourth round. Their reward for the win sees another Merseyside team face the trip to Boundary Park in the form of Everton. In the time since their memorable victory, former boss Paul Dickov left the club having seen the club's league form see them hover around the relegation zone. Everton have not been dumped out of the cup by a third tier side since facing Oldham back in 2008 where they were beaten 1-0. Everton reached the semi finals of the cup last season and will be looking to repeat the success as they aim to continue their excellent season under David Moyes. Prediction 1-2

3# Manchester City v Leeds United

picture: bbc.co.uk

The last time Manchester City found themselves in the last sixteen of the cup, was two seasons ago when they went on to win the competition. Roberto Mancini's side were beaten by rivals Manchester United last year in the third round but have progressed nicely this season beating Watford and Stoke on their way to the fifth round. Opponents Leeds United produced one of the shocks of the fourth round having beaten Tottenham 2-1 at Elland Road. The last time these two sides faced each other was way back in 2004 where Leeds came out 2-1 winners at Elland Road in the Premier League. With the league title looking unlikely for City, winning the FA Cup is a must for the Premier League side. Prediction: 3-0

4# MK Dons v Barnsley
Two teams you may not expect to be fighting for a quarter final place in the FA Cup. However both MK Dons and Barnsley have produced some excellent performances to make it this far. Home side Dons comfortably overcame QPR in the last round beating them 4-2 at Loftus Road. Struggling in the Championship, Barnsley will welcome the cup tie as they find themselves in a relegation scrap at the bottom of the second tier of English football. Wins over Burnley and Hull City have made this years FA Cup the most successful for Barnsley since 2008 where they reached the semi finals. As for the Dons, they are on their most successful run in the competition since being founded in 2004. They have scored 14 goals so far with Shaun Williams bagging three of them. Prediction: 1-2

As mentioned, Chelsea and Brentford will play their fourth round replay on Sunday, and the winners of this tie will face Middlesbrough on 27th February at the Riverside.

Other 5th Round Ties:

Arsenal v Blackburn Rovers Prediction: 3-0
Huddersfield v Wigan Athletic Prediction: 1-2
Manchester United v Reading Prediction: 4-1

FA Cup Fourth Round: Ones to watch

Having witnessed a number of shocks in the third round, the FA Cup makes it's appearance again this weekend. The last round saw non-league sides Luton Town and Macclesfield fly the flag with shock victories over Wolves and Cardiff respectively. The last round also saw just the one Premier League side knocked out by lower league opposition. Newcastle United fell to Championship side Brighton at the AMEX which saw them continue their poor form this season.

#1 Brentford v Chelsea

picture: hounslowchronicle.co.uk

After being knocked out of the Capital One Cup semi finals this week, Chelsea will want a similar run in the FA Cup. The Premier League side are the current holders of the competition having beaten Liverpool in the final last season. Rafa Benitez has had a mixed spell as interim manager with defeats at home to Swansea in the cup, and to QPR in the league. Benitez will be expected to field a strong team that will be without Eden Hazard who got himself stupidly sent off against Swansea this week. The form of Fernando Torres continues with the striker failing to score since the 8-0 drubbing of Aston Villa in December. They come up against League One side Brentford who currently sit third in the table. The West London side have only lost once in the league since mid October, and have striker Clayton Donaldson to thank with the big man scoring 19 goals in all competitions for them this season. The former Crewe forward scored the winning goal in Brentford's third round replay against Southend.

Prediction: Brentford 1-4 Chelsea

#2 Norwich City v Luton Town

Non-league side Luton Town disposed of Championship side Wolves in the last round, resulting in the Midland's boss then being sacked. The current Conference side are currently battling for promotion from the top tier of non-league football having missed out narrowly in the play offs last season. Paul Buckle's men have a number of games in hand over their play off rivals and will certainly take pleasure in travelling to Premier League side Norwich City this weekend. The Canaries comfortably overcame Peterborough United in the last round beating the Championship side 3-0 at London Road. Chris Hughton's men have since been struggling in the league having not produced a win since 15th Dec where they beat Wigan Athletic 2-1 at home. Goals have been a problem this season, with Robert Snodgrass their top scorer with five goals. Norwich have only reached the fifth round once in the last four seasons, where they lost to Leicester City last season. 

Prediction: Norwich City 3-0 Luton Town

#3 Oldham Athletic v Liverpool

These two sides met in the competition last year in the third round, where Liverpool came out comfortable 5-1 winners. The Premier League side went on to the final last year ending up as runners up to Chelsea. Oldham currently sit 19th in League One fighting a relegation battle so a big FA Cup game has come as a useful distraction for the club and the fans. Striker Jose Baxter will certainly be looking forward to the game as a former Everton player and with 11 goals to his name this season, the forward will fancy himself to get on the scoresheet. Brendan Rogers' Liverpool will once again look for another cup run having won the competition seven times. Rogers' team currently sit in seventh place in the Premier League and have certainly improved over the season. New January signing Daniel Sturridge could not have asked for a better start to his Liverpool career having netted in each of is three appearances for the reds. The former Chelsea man has struck up an excellent partnership with Luis Suarez with the Uruguayan man who has 20 goals to his name this season. 

Prediction: Oldham Athetic 0-2 Liverpool

#4 Brighton v Arsenal

picture: telegraph.co.uk

Brighton reached this stage last season beating Newcastle United at home. The Championship side went on to the fifth round where they were beaten by Liverpool. Gus Poyet's men beat Newcastle again this year in the last round where they secured a home tie against Premier League giants Arsenal. The Championship side are again enjoying another season in the second tier of English football as they fight for a play off place. Striker Craig Mackail Smith is once again proving what a top player he is at this level with 11 goals this season to his name. Arsenal will not find it easy getting to the fifth round. Despite a 5-1 thumping of West Ham in the week, Arsene Wenger's side have been very inconsistent this season. They needed a replay to get past Swansea in the last round and had Jack Wilshere to thank for his late winner. The midfielder has been a much needed return for the Gunners as they aim to secure a Champions League place in the league. 

Prediction Brighton 1-2 Arsenal

#5 Macclesfield Town v Wigan Athletic

Having knocked out Cardiff City in the last round, non-league side Macclesfield Town will be looking for a similar result, this time against Premier League opposition. Two goals in the space of three minutes saw the shock of the round as high flying Cardiff City were dumped out of the cup. Striker Matthew Barnes-Homer is one to watch with the striker having scored 20 goals this season. The Conference side sit ninth in the league as they aim to get back into the football league. They come up against Wigan Athletic who needed a replay to get passed Bournemouth in the third round. Roberto Martinez's side will hope to avoid another cup upset as they were beaten by League One side Swindon in last year's third round. Wigan are again fighting another relegation battle in the Premier League, and a cup run for the Lancashire side would do no harm at all. Watch out for this game as another cup upset  is more than possible in this fixture.

 Prediction: Macclesfield 1-0 Wigan Athletic

Other fourth round ties:

Millwall v Aston Villa (Prediction: 1-1)

Stoke v Man City (Prediction: 1-2)

Bolton v Everton (Prediction: 1-2)

Derby v Blackburn Rovers (Prediction: 2-2)

Huddersfield v Leicester City (Prediction: 0-2)

Hull v Barnsley (Prediction: 0-1)

Middlesbrough v Aldershot (Prediction: 3-0)

QPR v MK Dons (Prediction: 2-0)

Reading v Sheff Utd (Prediction: 2-1)

Man Utd v Fulham (Prediction: 3-0)

Leeds Utd v Tottenham (Prediction: 1-2)

FA Cup Third Round: Ones to watch

This coming weekend sees one of the favourite dates in the football calendar, as the third round of the FA Cup comes to our screens. Below are some of the key ties that were drawn, and games you should keep a look out on.

#1 Mansfield Town v Liverpool

picture: liverpoolfc.tv

The tie of the round sees Liverpool travel to Blue Square Premier League side Mansfield. The non-league side are one of four sides from outside the football league still in the competition. The side from Nottinghamshire have had a relatively simple route through to the third round dispatching of fellow non-league sides Slough and Lincoln City. Mansfield currently sit ninth in the Blue Square Premier and have had a quiet period during Christmas having seen two of their four games postponed due to the weather. They come up against runners up of the competition last season Liverpool who are currently in excellent form winning three of their four games over the winter period. Brendan Rogers men will be strong favourites to win the game which should see new man Daniel Sturridge make his first appearance for the club. With tough fixtures to come for the Merseyside club, Rogers will look to rest some of his names, giving youngsters, Jack Robinson and John Flanagan a run out.

Prediction: Mansfield Town 0-3 Liverpool

#2 West Ham Utd v Man Utd
The last time these two teams met in this competition, Man United ran out comfortable 6-0 winners at Old Trafford back in 2003. Despite this, the Hammers will feel there is a slight chance of an upset on the cards at Upton Park come Saturday evening. The two teams also met in the competition back in 2001 where a Paolo Di Canio goal was enough for his side to progress beating United at Old Trafford. The potential arrival of Joe Cole this week may see the former Hammer play having struggled to play much football over the last few years whilst at Liverpool. Opponents United, are currently flying at the top of the league thanks to new signing Robin Van Persie. The Dutchman has netted an impressive 19 goals in all competitions and has been the obvious difference between his side and rivals Manchester City.

Prediction: West Ham United 1-2 Man United

#3 Brighton & HA v Newcastle Utd

picture: guardian.co.uk

These two sides once again meet each other in the competition having played against each other in last years fourth round. The home side came out shock winners beating the Premier League side 1-0 at the Amex Stadium. Mike Williamson's own goal was enough for the home side to progress to the fifth round. Brighton, are currently ninth in the Championship, three points from a play off place and registered their first win on New Years Day since the end of November with a 3-0 away success at Ipswich. Newcastle will want to avoid a repeat of last years game between the two. Alan Pardew's side's defeat to Everton this week saw his team lose their fifth game in six. The departure of Demba Ba to Chelsea leaves Pardew with just Papiss Cisse and Shola Ameobi as options in attack. However it's defence where Newcastle need refreshing and with the January transfer window now open, Pardew has the opportunity to bring in fresh faces to boost his back four. 

Prediction: Brighton 1-1 Newcastle United

#4 Middlesbrough v Hastings Utd

Hastings United, like Mansfield, are one of the four non-league sides remaining in the competition. The side from Sussex are the lowest ranked team in the cup and play their games in the Ryman League Premier Division, three leagues from League Two. United overcame fellow non-league side Harrogate Town in the last round, beating them on penalties after the two sides matched each other in the first game and replay. They face a tough test as they travel to in form Middlesbrough. The Championship side currently sit in fourth place and enjoyed a successful Christmas period winning three out of four games. Tony Mowbray's men enjoyed a decent cup run in the Capital One Cup this season, which ended, after losing 1-0 to Swansea in the quarter finals. Despite suffering a number of injuries to his side, Mowbray's men will surely have too much for the Ryman side on Saturday. 

Prediction: Middlesbrough 4-0 Hastings United

#5 Luton Town v Wolves

Luton go into the third round as the highest ranked non-league side in the competition. Despite coming desperately close to promotion to the football league last season. Luton have had a mixed season so far, and find themselves in the final play off place in the conference. Like Mansfield, Luton have also had a relatively simple passage through to the third round despatching of fellow non-league sides Nuneaton and Dorchester. Visitors for Luton come in the form of Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Championship side have struggled so far this season after suffering relegation from the Premier League last year. Manager Stale Solbakken has become under increasing pressure over the last month as his side slipped to 18th in the league just six points from the relegation zone. Recent home defeats to Ipswich and Peterborough United are increasing the pressure for him to be sacked. Despite the poor league form, the quality and experience in the Wolves squad should see them safely though, but as always with the FA Cup, Luton may cause a potential upset on the day. 

Prediction: Luton Town 1-2 Wolves

#6 Tottenham Hotspur v Coventry City

The last and only time Coventry City won this competition, was against Spurs back in 1987. An extra time own goal from Tottenham's Gary Mabbutt gave the Sky Blues a day to remember at Wembley for the club and their fans. Since that memorable day, the two sides have rarely met since Coventry's decline into the Football League. The last meeting between the sides came back in 2003 where Spurs beat City 3-0 in the League Cup. Coventry, relegated from the Championship last season, have had a mixed season and sit mid table in League One, five points from the play off's. They have only lost twice in their last ten league games and with the goals from striker David McGoldrick, the Sky Blues will look to challenge for a play off spot in the second half of the season. Tottenham will go into the game as the favourites and have enjoyed a good run of their own of late in the league.  One defeat in nine league games has seen AVB's men rise to third in the league. The goals from Gareth Bale and Jermain Defoe have been very important as Spurs look to challenge for a top four finish. 

Prediction: Spurs 3-1 Coventry City

#7 Cheltenham Town v Everton

picture: telegraph.co.uk

The final tie of the round is between Cheltenham and Everton as they battle it out on Monday night in front of the ESPN cameras. The League Two side progressed to the third round having beaten Hereford over two games in the second round. Currently sitting in the play off's, Cheltenham have only won one of their last four league games, so an FA Cup distraction has come at the perfect time for Mark Yates' men. They reached the third round of the cup last season, facing Tottenham at White Hart Lane where they were comfortably dispatched 3-0. Everton will go into the game as strong favourites and will hope for a healthy scoreline as they continue their good form of late. One defeat in their last eight league games has seen the Toffee's reach fifth place and a constant threat to the top four. Despite only scoring six times in all competitions, striker Nikica Jelavic has been well supported from Marouane Fellaini who has hit the net eight times this season. 

Prediction: Cheltenham 0-2 Everton

...and the rest!

Aldershot v Rotherham (Prediction 1-2)

Aston Villa v Ipswich Town (Prediction 2-0)

Barnsley v Burnley (Predcition 1-2)

Blackburn v Bristol City (Prediction 3-0)

Bolton v Sunderland (Prediction 1-1)

Charlton v Huddersfield (Prediction 2-0)

Crawley Town v Reading (Prediction 1-2)

Crystal Palace v Stoke City (Prediction 2-2)

Derby v Tranmere (Prediction 2-1)

Fulham v Blackpool (Prediction: 3-1)

Hull v Leyton Orient (Prediction 3-0)

Leeds v Birmingham (Prediction 1-1)

Leicester v Burton Albion (Prediction 4-0)

Macclesfield v Cardiff City (Prediction 0-2)

Man City v Watford (Prediction 4-0)

Millwall v Preston (Prediction 1-1)

Notts Forest v Oldham (Prediction 2-1)

Oxford Utd v Sheffield Utd (Prediction 0-2)

Peterborough Utd v Norwich City (Prediction 1-3)

QPR v West Brom (Prediction 1-1)

Sheff Wed v MK Dons (Prediction 1-2)

Southampton v Chelsea (Prediction 1-0)

Southend v Brentford (Prediction 1-1)

Wigan v Bournemouth (Prediction 2-0)

Swansea v Arsenal (Prediction 2-1)

Capital One Cup: Semi final previews

Having witnessed a busy Christmas period in the football calendar, attention turns to the Capital Once Cup and the semi finals which sees Bradford City within 180 minutes of a Wembley appearance. Their shock penalty shoot out victory over Arsenal in the quarter finals stunned the football world as they embarrassed a full strength Arsenal team. The League Two side will face Aston Villa in the semi finals, whilst in the other semi, Swansea will face Chelsea.

#1 Bradford City v Aston Villa

picture: mirror.co.uk

League Two Bradford City's appearance in the semi finals sees them as the first team from the bottom tier of the Football League to play in the semis since Wycombe Wanderers back in 2006/07. Their penalty shoot out win over Arsenal was their ninth consecutive penalty shoot out victory on the bounce. The first leg will be played at Valley Parade in Bradford where they will look to try and gain an early advantage over their Premier League opponents. Villa will be pleased to have a distraction from the league having lost the last three games conceding 15 goals. Paul Lambert's side had surprisingly beaten Liverpool away from home before losing consecutive games to Chelsea, Spurs and Wigan. They made it to the semis having beaten Lambert's former side Norwich City 4-1 away from home. They have won five league cups, the last victory coming back in 1996.

#2 Swansea City v Chelsea

picture: independent.co.uk

Chelsea romped to a 5-1 victory in the quarter finals at Leeds and will be strong favourites to make the final at Wembley. Interim boss Rafael Benitez has guided the team to an unbeaten run in December which sees his side sit third in the table. Chelsea will be looking at adding another trophy to their collection after a double triumph last season with FA Cup and Champions League final victories. Striker Fernando Torres has begun to find some old form scoring 14 goals in all competitions so far this season. Opponents Swansea overcame Middlesbrough in the quarter finals and have also beaten Liverpool in the competition too, beating former manager Brendan Rogers' side 3-1 at Anfield. New man at the helm Michael Laudrup has guided the Welsh side to their first cup semi final in the history of the club, having experienced an excellent first few months in his role. New man up top, Michu, has been a brilliant acquisition firing in 14 goals in all competitions so far this season.

The two legs for both games will be played in the week of the 7th January and the 21st January.

Premier League: 2012/13 season review so far

As we approach the buys Christmas period of games, we look and review at the past few months in the Barclay's Premier League.

picture: dailymail.co.uk

Having claimed the title so dramatically last May, Roberto Mancini's Manchester City went into the season looking to defend it. Since August, City have only lost the once in the league to rivals Man United to end their long undefeated run at home. The defeat did not come as much of as a surprise as City's current defensive situation has not been anywhere as secure as last year. Mancini's summer signings included Matija Nastasic, Jack Rodwell and Maicon whereas Alex Ferguson brought in the class of Robin Van Persie from Arsenal. The difference in quality of signings between the clubs has told over the early months of the season which currently sees United sit six points clear of their city rivals.

Every year we see a surprise team who upset the odds and this year was no different with West Brom. New boss Steve Clarke got off to the perfect start as he faced his old side Liverpool on the opening day of the season. A 3-0 home win then saw the Baggies take points of Spurs, Chelsea and Everton to sit in the top four. The loan signing of Roman Lukaku from Chelsea has proved an excellent acquisition as he and strike partner Shane Long have seen the pair score 12 goals between them. Inconsistency in the last few games though has seem them since drop down to seventh.

At the bottom of the table, newly promoted Reading have been lurking in the bottom three since August which has seen them only win once all season. Their poor form currently sees The Royals sit bottom of the league with only nine points, six from safety. Brian McDermott's side have struggled to keep clean sheets, particularly at home which has seen them leak 36 goals so far. Alongside Reading are QPR who under new manager Harry Redknapp have started to look more of a team than under former manager Mark Hughes. Rangers had gone 16 games without a win, the longest in Premier League history, until recently when they recorded a 2-1 win at home to Fulham.

picture: football365.com

Hughes was the second manager to lose his job in the current season, after the surprising sacking of Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo. Di Matteo only spent six months at Stamford Bridge having won the Champions League and FA Cup as caretaker manager last year. Poor results and performances saw him laid off and Rafa Benitez brought in as an interim manager until the end of the season.

The Christmas period will be critical for some clubs in how their seasons will take shape. In particular at the bottom, Reading and QPR will need to pick up some consistent form if they are to avoid the elusive drop at the end of the season. The race for the title will once again go close and alongside the two Manchester clubs, Chelsea are still within a shout of challenging. The top four places are again too close to tell currently and a number of clubs will fancy their chances of making the Champions League places.

Final Table Predictions:
1: Man United
2: Man City
3: Chelsea
4: Arsenal
5: Tottenham Hotspur
6: Liverpool
7: Everton
8: West Brom
9: Stoke City
10: West Ham Utd
11: Newcastle United
12: Fulham
13: Swansea
14: Norwich City
15: Sunderland
16: Aston Villa
17: Southampton
18: Wigan Athletic
19: QPR
20: Reading

In Brendan we trust: Why Liverpool fans should look forward to the future

A couple months ago I wrote an article on the youth at Liverpool and why they are so key to the success of the football club. Now in November, Liverpool find themselves mid table and ten points away from the top four. Despite this, as a fan, I feel there have been plenty of signs over the last couple of months to be positive about where the club is going under the reign of Brendan Rogers.

picture: mirror.co.uk

Having only won three games this season, it's far too easy to criticise and complain about the manager. Look at Chelsea, despite winning the FA Cup and the Champions League, Roberto Di Matteo was sacked only 6 months into the job just because of a few poor team performances.

With Liverpool and Rogers, progress is being made. The input of young players has had a big impact on the team and has shown that the football club has a very bright future. Looking back over the past couple of seasons, it has been hard to watch a team struggle to make any impact on the top half of the league. Big signings were made and these players didn't perform.

As mentioned, we have only three league wins this season which could well be doubled based on a number of games. Having lost to Spurs on Wednesday, Liverpool's eight game unbeaten run came to an end. Despite losing this game, looking back at the highlights of the game, we should have easily come out with a draw, maybe a win. Last season's fixture at White Hart Lane saw the home side win 4-0 in a resounding performance  One season on we were unlucky to suffer a 2-1 defeat. The difference in performances is obvious, we looked stronger, quicker and competed much better with a very strong Spurs outfit.

What I am trying to get at is the progression in the small amount of time under Rogers. Not just in the Spurs game but in general over the beginning of the season. Yes we didn't get off to the best start to the season, but the unbeaten run showed what a good side we can be. The draw against Swansea last weekend was one which should have been a win. The same can be said for the Everton game where we were denied a clear winner. Now it is easy to say 'we could have won that' but having witnessed these games it was disappointing to come out with just a point.

picture: telegraph.co.uk

The form of Luis Suarez is one I could not miss out and but for him, yes we would be a lot further down the table. Rogers has put a lot of faith in the Uruguayan and he has repaid that with some excellent form and some superb performances. This is where my only criticism of Rogers comes in. His signings in the summer lacked another forward, it's been clearly made in the media and the football world and I'm very sure he regrets that now. January will be massive for Rogers and bringing in another striker to aid Suarez is vital. There have been mentions of a number of forwards but with Darren Bent out of favour at Villa, signing him I believe would be an excellent addition.

The form and performances of the younger players in the squad is a massive positive that I can take out of the season so far. In particular Jonjo Shelvey, Raheem Sterling, Andre Wisdom and Suso have taken to the Premier League excellently and have proven their selection by Rogers. These performances have been rewarded and noticed at national level seeing Shelvey and Sterling called up to the England national squad, and Wisdom and Suso called up to their respective national under 21 teams.

The faith Rogers has shown to these youngsters is great to see from a fans perspective and have proven a good decision. If performances continue the way they have been over the past couple of months then there is a lot to look forward to for the fans of Liverpool. For me Rogers is proving to be the right man for the job and as long as he is given the backing, Liverpool will eventually get back to where they once belonged.

FA Vase: Peterborough Northern Star 1-3 Dunstable Town

17/11/12- FA Vase 2^nd Round

Peterborough Northern Star 1-3 Dunstable Town

Two goals from Dunstable striker Lee Roache was enough to take his side through to the next round of the FA Vase after beating Peterborough Northern Star 3-1.

Picture by Steve Sharman: Star scorer Billy Smith

The former Barnet man put in a man of the match performance to guide his side past last year’s quarter finalists Northern Star at Chestnut Avenue.

Two headers from Roache and a strike from winger Tony Burnett saw the Spartan South Midlands Premier League side beat Star whose only goal came from a Billy Smith penalty.

The game got off to a slow start with both teams struggling to break each other down creating little at either end.

It was the visitors though that opened the scoring in the 29^th minute as Roache headed home from close range from a Newman Carney corner.

The goal spurred Dunstable into life and they continued to pressure their hosts throughout the rest of the half but failing to add to their advantage.

The second half began as the first had ended with Dunstable looking for a second goal. The goal nearly arrived as Tony Burnett’s run and shot from the right was well saved by Star keeper Nick Conroy.

Burnett was once again in the action as he doubled Dorchester’s advantage with a well struck shot. Good work on the wing from Roache saw his cross pulled back by Wayne Mills for Burnett to strike the ball in off the post.

The goal spurred Star into life as they tried to create their first real opportunity in the game having been pegged back for much of the game.

Picture by Steve Sharman: Action from today's game

Dunstable though wanted to close the game and came within inches of doing so as Jon Cooper’s low shot was somehow blocked on the line by Roache.

Having been let off moment before, Star responded instantly with a goal of their own. A weaving run down the left from substitute Adam Scotcher saw the striker tripped in the box, giving the ref with no option but to award a penalty which was expertly despatched by Billy Smith.

But it was Dunstable who responded immediately by scoring next and closing the game as Roache scored his second of the game, heading in unmarked from another Newman Carney set piece.

The striker could and should have had his hat trick moments later after an excellent run saw him evade three defenders and the goalkeeper only to see his effort roll agonisingly wide of the post.

The goal had given  supporters hope of a comeback for Star, who were denied another penalty after a Dunstable defender seemed to handle the ball in the box.

Star had one more chance to pull a second goal back as Scotcher raced through one on one with the keeper only to see his effort saved by the legs of Paul Taylor.

The victory takes Dunstable through to the third round of the competition and continues their unbeaten run in all competitions this season.

Teams:
PNS: Conroy, Challinor, Wason, Morris © Kilby, Cox, Balde, Stain (Moore-Papworth), Smith, Furnell (Kerrison), Davey (Scotcher)

Dunstable Town: Taylor, Mills, Pickering © Mead, George, Olaleye, Cooper, Carney, Francis (Frater), Burnett (Junior), Roache

What a hit! Some of football's great strikes

Having witnessed an unbelievable overhead kick from Zlatan Ibrahimovich this week for Sweden, we have put together a few of the best goals scored in England or by English players over the past few years. Enjoy!

1. Joe Cole v Sweden (WC 2006)
Joe Cole scored a sensational volley against Sweden in England's final group game of the World Cup in Germany. Cole took the ball on his chest and volleyed home superbly from 35 yards to give England a lead after 32 minutes. The game went onto finish 2-2 with Steven Gerrard scoring the other goal for England. The draw meant England progressed through to the round of 16 where they played Ecuador.

2. Peter Crouch v Man City (24/03/12)

Peter Crouch scored a stunning volley in the Premier League clash between Stoke and Manchester City last season. Crouch received the ball from Pennant on the right side of the box and expertly volleyed the ball over Joe Hart into the far side of the net.

3. Papiss Cisse v Chelsea (02/05/12)
Newcastle centre forward Papiss Cisse scored a wonderful half volley against Chelsea as his two goals meant Newcastle recorded a rare away win at Stamford Bridge. The Senegal striker collected the ball from a Demba Ba header and half volleyed home from the left edge of the box, watching the ball loop over Petr Cech and in off the bar for one of the goals of the season. 

4. Steven Gerrard v Middlesbrough (30/04/05)

Steven Gerrard has scored many a screamer but not many better than his wonderful volley against Middlesbrough. Gerrard received the ball from John Arne Riise 40 yards from goal, and after taking the ball down and letting it bounce twice, Gerrard struck an amazing strike that swerved into the top left corner of the goal. 2005 turned out to be an excellent season for the Liverpool skipper as he captained his side to Champions League glory.

5. George Boyd v Huddersfield (23/10/12)
Peterborough United's George Boyd scored a stunning 50 yard effort this season in a 3-1 home win against Huddersfield. Boyd received the ball in the centre circle and unleashed a stunning hit that looped over the Huddersfield keeper to score one of the current goals of the season. 

FA Cup: Second Round Draw

We saw a cracking beginning to the FA Cup first round this month, with cup upsets and plenty of drama in the ties. The second round of the competition will see 11 non league clubs all within a shout of getting a third round tie where the Premier League clubs enter the fray.

picture: chelmsfordcityfc.com

The first round of the competition threw us goals, upsets and controversy. Chelmsford City upset the odds when they beat League One side Colchester United by three goals to one. A double for Donovan Simmonds and one for Jamie Slabber was enough to see the Blue Square Bet South side to the second round. Despite financial problems in the club, Conference side Hereford had something to cheer about as they came out on top beating League Two side Shrewsbury Town by three goals to one. They have been drawn away from home to Cheltenham Town in the second round.

Alongside Hereford and Chelmsford were Dorchester who completely upset the odds coming out 1-0 winners in the televised home clash to Plymouth Argyle. A goal early on in the second half from former Plymouth man Jake Gosling saw the Blue Square Bet south side progress to the second round of the cup.

Macclesfield also upset the apple-cart as they beat League One high flyers Swindon Town 2-0 away from home. Harrogate Town joined them in the second round as they caused a shock of their own beating League Two side Torquay United 1-0.

The second round of the cup through up a few tasty ties. MK Dons will face AFC Wimbledon in the tie of the round. AFC Wimbledon were set up in 2002 by the supporters and will face the Dons for the first time.

There are four all non league ties in the second round meaning that there will be four non league sides guaranteed a place in the third round and the chance for a tie against one of the big guns in the Premier League. Chelmsford's reward for beating Colchester in the first round is an away trip to League One side Crawley Town.

All ties will be played over the weekend of 1st and 2nd December. Hereford's clash with Cheltenham Town will be played on Monday 3rd December due to the tie being televised on ESPN.

FA Cup second round fixtures:

Accrington Stanley v Oxford United
Barrow v Macclesfield
Bradford v Brentford
Bury v Southend Utd
Carlisle v Bournemouth
Coventry City v Morecambe
Crawley Town v Chelmsford City
Crewe Alexandra v Burton Albion
Fleetwood Town v Aldershot Town
Harrogate Town v Hastings Utd
Lincoln City v Mansfield
Luton Town v Dorchester
Oldham Town v Doncaster
Preston North End v Gillingham
Rotherham v Notts County
Sheff United v Port Vale
Tranmere v Chesterfield
MK Dons v AFC Wimbledon
Alfreton Town v Leyton Orient
Cheltenham v Hereford

Capital One Cup: Quarter Finals

The fourth round of the Capital One Cup saw some of the best League Cup games in its existence. The eight games saw a total of 37 goals scored in some enthralling encounters.

The stand out game of the round saw Arsenal make a remarkable comeback away at Reading in front of the Sky cameras winning 7-5. It all looked rosy for the home side after 35 minutes, as Brian McDermott's men lead 4-0 through Jason Roberts, Noel Hunt, Mikele Leigertwood and a Laurent Koscielny own goal. Despite an awful first half display Arsenal went in at the break with one goal to their name and a slither of hope as Theo Walcott chipped home after through on goal.

picture: ozsportsreviews.com

The second half of the game started as the first half finished. Arsene Wenger brought on Olivier Giroud who made an immediate impact to head home a Walcott cross and to make the scoreline 4-2. As the half came to a close, it looked like Reading had withstood the Arsenal comeback but in the 89th minute Koscielny made amends for his own goal as he headed home another fine Walcott corner. It was the winger though that completed a remarkable game as his 95th minute shot crept over the line despite the efforts of Nicky Shorey to stop the strike.

The equaliser took the game to extra time, and the 30 minutes did not disappoint as the Gunners went ahead for the first time in the game as Marouane Chamakh drilled home from outside the box. Chamakh's goal had looked like it was to be the vital goal to take Arsenal through but Reading had other ideas. As extra time neared the end, Pavel Pogrebnyak popped up to head home their fifth from a Chris Gunter cross. The game looked set for penalties but it was Walcott again who blasted home from six yards after Andrey Arshavin's cross was blocked to complete his hat trick. Chamakh lobbed home in the dying moments to end a remarkable game and one that will be remembered for a long time.

The drama on Tuesday night continued on Wednesday as Chelsea faced Manchester United at Stamford Bridge for the second time in four days. Like Arsenal, this game was in front of the Sky cameras and didn't disappoint either as Chelsea won 5-4 after extra time. Goals from David Luiz, Daniel Sturridge, Eden Hazard, Ramires and Gary Cahill were enough to overcome a reletively inexperienced United side whose goals came from the boots of Giggs (2), Hernandez and Nani.

picture: theguardian.co.uk

The cup wasn't completely dominated this week by the goal fests but with a shocks too as both Wigan and Sunderland were beaten by lower league opposition. Sunderland fell down to Championship side Middlesbrough 1-0 at the Stadium of Light as Scott McDonald's goal was enough for them to win the Wear-Tees derby. Wigan were embarrassed at home as League Two Bradford City beat them 4-2 on penalties to take them to the quarter finals. Both Liverpool and Spurs were eliminated from the competition as Brendan Rogers side were beaten by his former side Swansea 3-1. Spurs were beaten 2-1 away at Norwich with Spurs' Clint Dempsey missing a penalty in the dying moments of the game to end their involvement in the competition.

The quarter finals saw the 'bigger' teams avoid each other and will see Chelsea travel to Leeds who have already deposited of Everton and Southampton in the competition so far. Bradford's reward is a home tie to Arsenal while Middlesbrough face an away trip to Swansea. In the final tie of the quarter finals, Paul Lambert will face his former side as his Villa team will travel to Norwich City.

All games will be played the week commencing the 10th December whilst Chelsea's game at Leeds will be played on 19th December due to their commitment to the Club World Cup which they will play in after their Champions League success.

Quarter Final ties:

Bradford v Arsenal
Leeds United v Chelsea
Swansea v Middlesbrough
Norwich City v Aston Villa

Merseyside derby day madness

Everton v Liverpool is one of the biggest derbies in the Premier League and has given football fans over the world some great moments. With the first Merseyside derby of the season happening on Sunday, we look at the top four stand out moments from past games over the years.

#1 -13/03/12 -Steven Gerrard hat trick at Anfield

picture: mirrorfootball.co.uk

Liverpool's captain took centre stage during this game with a sublime hat trick at Anfield. Liverpool had not won a Premier League game in four games up till the derby and a comfortable 3-0 victory gave a much needed boost to the club's season. Gerrard's first goal saw the midfielder delicately chip the ball from the edge of the box with his left foot, evading Everton centre back Phil Jagielka who could only watch helplessly as it hit the net. Gerrard's next goal came soon after half time as he thumped home a Luis Suarez cross from close range. He sealed a fine display and hat trick as Suarez once again laid the ball on late on for Gerrard to net his second ever career hat trick for Liverpool. A memorable display.

#2 -20/10/07 -Tale of two penalties for Liverpool as Everton finish with nine men

picture: dailymail.co.uk

Two Dirk Kuyt penalties was enough to take all three points at Goodison Park as ended the game with only nine players on the pitch. It was Everton that were deservedly ahead at the break after Sami Hyypia inexplicably turned the ball into his own net. The previous season had seen Everton stroll to a 3-0 home win in the derby leaving the red side of Merseyside humiliated. Times changed in the second half for Liverpool as they were awarded an early penalty after the break as Tony Hibbert brought down Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard. Up stepped Dirk Kuyt who place the ball into the right hand corner to level the scores. Hibbert was subsequently sent off leaving the Toffees a man down. Liverpool were awarded a last ditch penalty in the dying moments of the game as Phil Neville deliberately blocked a Lucas Leiva shot on the line with his arm leaving Kuyt with the responsibility of earning three points. Neville was rightly sent off as Kuyt expertly tucked the penalty away to give Liverpool a hard fought win.

#3 -09/09/06 -Everton 3-0 Liverpool 

picture: virginmedia.com

Everton continued there excellent start to the season as they thumped rivals Liverpool at Goodison Park. It was there first win over their rivals in 2 years leaving the red side of Merseyside humiliated. Tim Cahill gave the hosts an early lead finishing from close range with a side footed effort. Liverpool had a number of chances in the game, but were not as clinical as their opponents. Everton soon doubled their lead as Andy Johnson took advantage of some poor defending from Jamie Carragher to arrow a shot past Pepe Reina. Chances came a plenty in the second half for the visitors but either were off target or were expertly denied by Everton keeper Tim Howard. Everton re-established control of the game nearer the end of the game and Andy Johnson capped a excellent performance by adding his second and the team's third late on. Pepe Reina fumbled a Lee Carsley shot allowing the alert Johnson to nod home. A poor day for the reds.

#4 -16/04/01 -Late McAllister goal takes all three points in Merseyside thriller

One of the greatest Merseyside derbies in the last ten years. The game included a missed penalty, 12 yellow cards and a red card. Five goals were shared between the two clubs in a thriller at Goodison which saw Liverpool come away with all three points. The win for Liverpool ensured a successful double over their rivals, and kept their Champions League qualification hopes still alive. It was the red side of Merseyside that took the lead as Emile Heskey raced away on 4 minutes to clinically score his 21st goal of the season. Despite their lead, Liverpool looked edgy and poor defending on the stroke of half time gave Everton an equaliser. A mix up between Stephane Henchoz and Jamie Carragher allowed Duncan Ferguson to power home a left footed strike. Having been pegged back, Liverpool took the initiative after the break as they regained the lead.

A wonderful through ball from Didi Hamann released Robbie Fowler whose ball across the six yard box was struck home by defender Markus Babbel. Fowler was once again involved moments later as he was given the chance to close the game for the visitors. Having been fouled in the box, Fowler stepped up for the penalty only to see his effort strike the inside of the post and roll away. The final third of the game continued at an astounding pace. Igor Biscan was sent off having received a second yellow card after fouling David Unsworth and moments after, Everton were given the chance to once again pull the game level. Sami Hyypia was adjudged to have fouled Duncan Ferguson in the box leaving Unsworth with the responsibility of the penalty. The Everton defender had no problems as he slammed the ball home to pull the game back level for the second time. It wasn't over there as Liverpool had one more chance to take the three points. Having been awarded a free kick mid way in the Everton half, four minutes into stoppage time, Gary McAllister took aim and hit a stunning effort from 40 yards, deceiving Paul Gerrard in goal to cap off an amazing afternoon on Merseyside.

FA Cup: First Round Draw

Having seen rounds upon rounds of qualifying, the first round of the FA Cup begins seeing clubs from non-league face clubs from League One and Two. Teams in the Championship and Premier League don't come into the competition until the third round, giving some of the lower sides the opportunity for a cup run. 

picture: uk.eurosport.yahoo.com

Last years final was played in front of a massive crowd at Wembley which saw Chelsea beat Liverpool 2-1. Goals from Ramires and Didier Drogba saw the London side win the cup beating Liverpool whose goal was scored by Andy Carroll. Chelsea's win saw them go level with FA Cup final wins with Liverpool with both clubs on seven wins. Manchester United lead the table with 11 wins.

This year's final will be once again played at Wembley on Saturday 11th May 2013.

The first round will see 40 ties played between clubs from as low as the fourth tier of non-league in the Evo-Stick league. Arlesey Town of the Evo Stick Southern Premier league will face 1987 winners Coventry City in one of the ties of the round. Isthmian League side Met Police have also progressed through qualifying and face a first round game at home to League One side Crawley Town. 

Current conference leaders Newport County needed two late goals in their final qualifying game to take their tie against Yate Town to a replay. If they come through the test against the Evo-Stick southern south and west side then they will face League Two side Cheltenham Town. Cambridge City will host MK Dons while an Essex derby is guaranteed as Colchester United face the winner of Chelmsford City and East Thurrock who need a replay. 

Luton Town and Wrexham both made it through their qualifying games as they both face non-league opposition. The Welsh team face Alfreton Town while Luton have to also wait for a replay as they will host either Nuneaton or Telford United. Winners of the competition in 2008, Portsmouth, face fellow League One side Notts County, while Sheffield United travel to League Two side Bristol Rovers. 

The ties will be played the weekend of 3rd/4th November 2012. 

First Round Fixtures:

Kidderminster Harriers v Oldham Athletic

Boreham Wood v Brentford

Chelmsford City/East Thurrock v Colchester United

Met Police v Crawley Town

Luton Town v Telford Utd/Nuneaton

Portsmouth v Notts County

Bishop's Stortford v Hastings Utd

Fleetwood Town v Bromley

Forest Green Rovers/Dartford v Port Vale

Torquay Utd v Hyde/Harrogate Town

Bournemouth v Dag & Red

Morecambe v Rochdale

Swindon Town v Macclesfied Town

Cambridge City v MK Dons

Cheltenham Town v Yate Town/Newport County

Dorchester Utd v Plymouth Argyle

Coventry City v Arlesey Town

York City v AFC Wimbledon

Bury v Exeter City

Chesterfield v Hartlepool Utd

Doncaster Rovers v Bradford Park Ave

Gillingham v Scunthorpe Utd

Aldershot Town v Hendon

Lincoln City/Halifax Town v Walsall

Wrexham v Alfreton Town

Southend Utd v Stockport County

Crewe v Wycombe

Bristol Rovers v Sheff Utd

Hereford Utd v Shrewsbury Town

Mansfield v SLough Town/Gosport Boro

Barnet v Oxford Utd

Rotherham Utd v Stevenage

AFC Fylde/Ilkeston Town v Accrington Stanley

Gloucester City v Leyton Orient

Burton Albion v Altrincham

Guiseley v Barrow

Northampton Town v Bradford City

Preston NE v Yeovil Town

Braintree Town v Tranmere Rovers

Carlisle Utd v Ebbsfleet Utd

Capital One Cup: Fourth Round Draw

The newly named Capital One Cup continued this week as we saw the third round of the competition take place. This round saw the remaining seven Premier League clubs enter the fray including current holders Liverpool and Premier League winners Manchester City.

picture: whoateallthepies.tv

It was City though, who surprised everyone as they were beaten 4-2 at home by Aston Villa after extra time at the Etihad Stadium. Roberto Mancini fielded a strong side which included Kolo Toure, Jack Rodwell, Mario Balotelli and Carlos Tevez. It was the Italian striker that opened the scoring in the game after an excellent through pass from James Milner. It was another former Villa man in the City line up, Gareth Barry, who scored a deserved equaliser for Villa as he put through his own net after good work down the right from Andreas Weimann. An Aleksander Kolarov free kick and a Gabby Agbonlahor goal in the second half, saw the game go to extra time. It was Villa though, who took the initiative in extra time as goals from Charlies N'Zogbia and Gabby Agbonlahor gave Paul Lambert and his Villa side a surprise victory away from home.

Another shock in the third round of the competition came at Elland Road as Championship outfit Leeds United beat high flying Everton 2-1. The game was largely dominated by Leeds who could have easily scored more. They opened the scoring in the first half as Aidan White was given time and space to beautifully curl home. David Moyes fielded a strong line up which included Steven Pienaar and his side should have been level when Steven Naismith headed wide from 3 yards. Leeds effectively ended the game in the second half as midfielder Rodolph Austin flicked home after a well worked free kick from the left. A late Sylvain Distin header made an exciting end to the game but the Premier League team were unable to take the game to extra time.

picture: theguardian.co.uk

Having beaten Stoke in the last round, Swindon were at it again causing another upset beating Championship team Burnley 3-1 at home. They were joined in the fourth round by Bradford, who came down from two goals down at home to Burton to win the all League Two clash 3-2 after extra time. Arsenal and Chelsea set up their Premier League clash beautifully on Saturday, as they both hit their opponents for six. The Gunners faced League One Coventry City at home and two goals for Theo Walcott and a first goal for Olivier Giroud, saw Arsene Wenger's side came out 6-1 winners. Chelsea fielded a strong side against Wolves and that was evident as they beat the Championship club 6-0 at Stamford Bridge.

Current holders of the cup Liverpool, faced a tricky tie away at West Brom who beat them on the opening day of the league season 3-0. Brendan Rogers young outfit though came away 2-1 winners thanks to two goals from Nuri Sahin. Tottenham, Southampton and Sunderland all eased past lower league opposition and were joined by Man United who came out top against Newcastle United.

As the competition progresses nicely, the fourth round draw was made immediately after the third round and threw up Chelsea v Man United in the tie of the round. Arsenal face a tough tie away at Reading, while holders Liverpool are at home to Swansea which will see Brendan Rogers come up against his former team. Aston Villas reward for beating Man City is a tricky tie away at League One Swindon Town. Bradford are the lowest league side left in the competition and will travel to Wigan, whilst Sunderland will face north east rivals Middlesbrough.

All ties will be played the week commencing the 29th October 2012.

Fourth Round Fixtures:

Sunderland v Middlesbrough
Swindon v Aston Villa
Liverpool v Swansea City
Chelsea v Man United
Wigan v Bradford City
Norwich City v Tottenham
Reading v Arsenal
Leeds v Southampton