5 true winners from the Emirates FA Cup Second Round
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The underdog has woofed again in the Emirates FA Cup Second Round, with four sides already knocking out higher-league opposition, while the likes of Macclesfield Town and Notts County have a second bite at the cherry.
But it’s not just a team game. Several players have grabbed the spotlight and enhanced their profile with brilliant individual displays.
Here is the fantastic fivesome who impressed the Ladbrokes News on a fantastic weekend of cup action.
Sutton United
The greatest day in the south London club’s history to date came back in January 1989, when the U’s beat then-top flight outfit Coventry City, who had lifted the FA Cup just 18 months before.
However, the current crop are now in with a chance of repeating – or even surpassing – that feat, having secured a Third Round berth following a 2-1 victory over Football League outfit Cheltenham Town.
The home side more than matched the Robins at the Borough Sports Ground, and though Roarie Deacon didn’t get the crowd roaring with a winner until the 96th minute, there was nothing fortunate about the home side’s triumph.
Adam Morgan
Curzon Ashton may have endured a heartbreaking 4-3 defeat to AFC Wimbledon in the club’s biggest ever game, but former Liverpool youngster Morgan wrote his name in cup folklore with a stunning hat-trick for the National League North outfit.
His opener – a 35-yard screamer – came after just 30 seconds, and the 22-year-old netted twice more from close range, to take the Tameside outfit into an incredible 3-0 lead.
Sadly for the Non-Leaguers, it wasn’t to last, with Wimbledon scoring four times in the final 10 minutes to ensure an incredible victory. But despite defeat, Morgan’s incredible feat won’t be forgotten anytime soon. And he certainly impressed our roving reporter watching him on #VardyVerdict duty.
Wycombe Wanderers
Last season, Gareth Ainsworth’s men ended a disappointing campaign by failing to score more than once in any of their final 17 games. Quite a turnaround this season, then, as they produced their second five-goal haul of the campaign at Chesterfield on Saturday.
Though the Spireites are in a slump right now, beating higher-division opposition 5-0 away from home is no mean feat. The Chairboys dominated from minute one, with young striker Scott Kashket taking the match ball home.
Five wins on the bounce in all competitions for Wycombe. Nobody will fancy drawing them in the Emirates FA Cup Third Round.
Tim Erlandsson
Many players in Non-League wait their whole career to knock Football League heavyweights out of the Emirates FA Cup. Barrow keeper Tim Erlandsson had to wait just two weeks.
The Nottingham Forest loanee made his debut on 26 November, in a 4-1 victory at Dagenham & Redbridge, but it was in this weekend’s 2-1 Emirates FA Cup triumph at Bristol Rovers (40 places above them in the league pyramid) where the Swede really shone, producing a slew of superb saves.
Luke Berry
While Morgan’s feat will be the most memorable individual display of the round, Cambridge United captain Berry managed to go one better in the goal stakes, netting all four goals as the men from the famous University city taught Coventry City a footballing lesson.
His third – expertly set up by the talented Piero Mingoia – was the best of a finely-taken bunch. And having taken Manchester United to a replay in the Fourth Round in 2015-16, there’s plenty of reason to believe they can upset the odds once again.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
