Tottenham Hotspur’s Jermain Defoe reacts after failing to score against Stevenage during their FA Cup match. Picture: AP
Source: AP
PREMIER League title-chasers Tottenham Hotspur were held to a shock goal-less draw away to third tier Stevenage in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
Spurs did put the ball in the net early in the second half but saw the goal ruled out for offside and now the club in third place in the Premier League must try again at home in a replay for a place in the quarter-finals.
Stevenage, who entered the Football League two years ago, won promotion from fourth tier League Two to third tier League One at the first attempt and knocked Newcastle United out of the FA Cup in the third round last season.
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp named a strong starting line-up that included Gareth Bale, Scott Parker and Jermain Defoe.
Ryan Nelsen, the New Zealand international who left Blackburn Rovers on transfer deadline day, was handed a first start as part of a three-man defence, and Louis Saha, another newcomer, began in search of another goal to add to the two he netted in his first two games.
Tottenham survived an early appeal for handball in the box when the ball struck captain Michael Dawson and the opening exchanges also saw Defoe stab just wide at the near post.
Danny Rose’s shot, which went out for a throw-in, did not improve the mood of an agitated Redknapp, who had seen his team struggle to beat Championship side Watford in the fourth round.
Saha almost broke the deadlock in the 35th minute when he chested the ball down in the box but the challenges of two defenders saw the France international fire the ball over.
Dawson saw an effort hacked off the line and Stevenage’s counter attack took them all the way to the Spurs area and Scott Laird’s header from Luke Freeman’s free kick had to be palmed over by goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini.
Saha’s block in the box saw another penalty appeal for handball ignored by referee Phil Dowd and rightly so as it had hit the forward on the chest and the half ended with Tottenham having to repel a Stevenage barrage.
Tottenham started the second half with a 23m drive from Bale that Stevenage goalkeeper Chris Day, a former Spurs player, did well to tip round his left-hand post.
Stevenage continued to retaliate however and Michael Bostwick was just too high with a long-range effort but they had linesman Darren Cann to thank for not falling behind in the 55th minute.
The home defence failed to deal with a Rose cross from the left and Saha applied a close-range finish that went in off Parker on the line.
The England midfielder may have been trying to get off the pitch but only succeeded in getting the goal disallowed for offside.
Joel Byrom fired just over at the other end and then forced Cudicini into a fumbling save that required Nelsen to clear before Chris Beardsley could pounce.
Stevenage substitute Don Cowan fired wide in stoppage time before the final whistle confirmed the hosts were in the quarter-final draw where, if they win the replay, they will be at home to another Premier League side in Bolton.
In an earlier Cup tie, Stoke won 2-0 win away to fourth-tier Crawley Town despite playing most of the match a man down after Rory Delap was sent off.
Goals either side of halftime, courtesy of a Jonathan Walters penalty and a Peter Crouch header, saw Stoke, last season’s beaten finalists, make it into the last eight.
Stoke’s victory ended the FA Cup run of League Two side Crawley, the lowest-ranked club left in the tournament, who also reached the fifth round stage of English soccer’s leading knockout competition last season.
But Premier League Stoke suffered an early setback when Delap was shown a straight red card by referee Mike Jones for a lunging challenge on David Hunt in the 17th minute.
“We’re one win away from Wembley again and it would be lovely if we could get a home tie,” said Stoke manager Tony Pulis, whose side have had three away matches in this season’s competition.
Asked about Delap’s red card, he added: “There is a big problem within the game in that I think professional people and referees are so far apart in what they see in terms of what are fair challenges or competitive challenges and the bad, reckless challenges.
“We had a fourth official [Lee Probert] today who I think has got Rory sent off.
“He has refereed a game against Liverpool and not even booked a player for what was the worst challenge in the Premier League this year in [Yohan] Cabaye’s challenge on [Jay] Spearing.
“Lee was five yards away and the difference between what we think and sometimes what referees think is enormous.”
Crawley manager Steve Evans was also unhappy with the officiating.
“I think we’re unfortunate to go out this year,” he said. “I think I probably take it harder this year than I did going out at Manchester United.
“I can’t help but be disappointed by the match referee. I think from a second-half perspective, he has had a poor game for me and he is normally a very good referee.”
Premier League teams Everton, Bolton and Sunderland are all in the draw for the quarter-finals following wins on Saturday night.
So too are second tier Championship team Leicester, who beat Premier League Norwich 2-1 in the only upset win of the fifth round so far.
Chelsea will also be in the hat but they must beat Birmingham in a replay to be sure of a quarter-final spot after being held to a 1-1 draw on Saturday.
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