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Five shocks in FA Cup fifth round

Sports Mole selects five surprise results from the fifth round of the FA Cup.

Each year, the FA Cup often throws up many surprises, whether they be giant-killing upsets or end-to-end games with teams looking to go to for broke in a club competition that is considered the greatest in the world.

Many of the shock results occur between the first and fourth rounds, but even when the tournament begins to reach its latter stages, the underdog is still able to have its day in the limelight.

Below, Sports Mole picks out five surprise results that have occurred in recent memory.

1. Barnsley 3-2 Manchester United

After reaching the top flight for the first time in their 102-year history in 1997, Barnsley were considered to be everyone's favourites to return to the Football League, and that's what happened as they ended the campaign five points adrift of safety.

However, the Tykes weren't to be denied a memorable run in the FA Cup. After getting past Bolton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur, they faced a tie with Manchester United at Old Trafford. A home victory looked a near certainty, but thanks to a goal from John Hendrie, Barnsley managed to force a replay at Oakwell.

The Yorkshire outfit remained the underdogs, but by half time, Hendrie and Scott Jones had given them a 2-0 advantage. Teddy Sheringham halved the deficit, but after Jones bagged his second, United were unable to provide a suitable response, despite a consolation effort from Andy Cole.

2. Tranmere Rovers 4-3 Southampton

Like the Barnsley win, it was a replay that resulted in one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the competition occurring at Prenton Park in 2001. After the first tie at The Dell had ended in a stalemate, Southampton had to make the long trip to struggling Division One outfit Tranmere Rovers.

The first half was dominated by the Saints, who by half time had opened up a three-goal advantage thanks to efforts from Hassan Kachloul, Jo Tessem and Dean Richards, but the drama of the tie was saved until the second half on Merseyside.

Paul Rideout of Tranmere celebrates after the AXA FA Cup fifth round replay between Tranmere Rovers and Southampton on February 20, 2001© Getty Images

Paul Rideout, a former FA Cup winner with Everton, bagged a hat-trick in a 22-minute spell midway through the second half before Stuart Barlow capped off a miraculous recovery to earn his side a place in the quarter-finals.

3. Portsmouth 1-0 Liverpool

After earning promotion to the Premier League for the first time, Portsmouth impressed everyone with their transition from years of Football League football to the pace of the top flight, but despite reaching the fifth round in 2004, they were struggling for form in domestic action.

However, the cup was proving to be a welcome distraction for Pompey, and after they earned a superb 1-1 draw against Liverpool at Anfield, they welcomed the Merseyside giants to Fratton Park where a Richard Hughes goal 19 minutes from time was enough for them to dump the six-time winners out of the competition.

4. Liverpool 1-2 Barnsley

A decade on from their triumph over Man United, Barnsley were handed an away trip to Liverpool in the last 16. Like in 1998, the Tykes were huge underdogs to prevail with Liverpool losing just three times in the Premier League up until the middle of February.

When Liverpool took a 32nd-minute lead through Dirk Kuyt, it appeared as though the Reds would cruise through to the last eight, but an equaliser from Stephen Foster set up a nervy final 30 minutes.

Barnsley's Brian Howard celebrates after scoring in the final minute of extra time to give his team victory over Liverpool during FA cup match at Anfield, in Liverpool, on February 16, 2008© Getty Images

Barnsley stopper Luke Steele, who was making his debut, was producing the best performance of his career to deny Liverpool's frontline, and that gave Brian Howard the platform to fire a last-minute winner into the bottom corner to earn their progress into the quarter-finals.

5. Arsenal 0-1 Blackburn Rovers

After being defeated by League One Bradford City in the League Cup, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger named a strong side for his team's clash with Blackburn Rovers at the Emirates Stadium in the hope of avoiding another shock exit.

For the majority of the match, the superior quality of the Gunners shone through but after they failed to find a breakthrough, Colin Kazim-Richards collected a rebound before scuffing the ball in off the post to give his team a famous win in North London.

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Tomas Rosicky of Arsenal celebrates scoring the opening goal during the FA Cup sponsored by E.ON Third Round match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield on January 6, 2007
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3Arsenal1796234161833
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest179442319431
5Bournemouth178452721628
6Aston Villa178452626028
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12Brentford177283232023
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd176472122-122
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham175572230-820
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16Crystal Palace173771826-816
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18Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1733112740-1312
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20Southampton1713131136-256


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