First division Crystal Palace, playing with 10 men for the last 20 minutes, knocked premier league Liverpool out of the FA Cup with a superb 2-0 victory at Anfield in their fourth-round replay on Wednesday.A brilliant goal by wing back Julian Gray after 55 minutes and a late own goal by Stephane Henchoz won it for Palace, who had striker Dougie Freedman sent off in the 70th minute. The night’s all-premier league replay went to penalties after Sunderland and Blackburn Rovers were level at 2-2 after extra time, Sunderland winning the shoot-out 3-0.Southampton midfielder Matt Oakley, with just two goals in the last two and half seasons, doubled his tally at the New Den as the premier league side overcame first division Millwall 2-1 after extra time in the other outstanding tie.Liverpool totally dominated in the first half against Palace but despite a series of chances could not find a way through. Cedric Berthelin, playing in goal in place of Latvian Alex Kolinko, who was dropped for “attitude reasons”, made several good saves to keep Palace in the game, the best to deny England striker Emile Heskey.Palace’s classic 1990 semi-final victory over Liverpool seemed a long way away at halftime but 10 minutes after the break they took a shock lead when Gray arrived unmarked at the far post to smash a shot past Jerzy Dudek, who had not had to make a save previously. Things appeared to swing Liverpool’s way in the 70th minute when Freedman, on as a 36th-minute substitute, inexplicably elbowed Liverpool centre back Sami Hyypia and was sent off.Palace, 11th in the first division, defended superbly from then on though and got a second goal after Gray broke for 50 metres and forced Henchoz to put through his own net 11 minutes from time. Their reward is a fifth-round home tie against Leeds United, managed by former boss Terry Venables, who beat 2-1 Gillingham in their replay on Tuesday.Current manager Trevor Francis said it was a “good feeling” to beat Liverpool. “In the first half they played us off the park, we couldn’t live with them,” he said. “But they missed chance after chance and I said at halftime maybe it was our night.“We put them under more pressure in the second half, got in their face, and that performance was what I have come to expect from my team. With 20 minutes to go I thought it would be very difficult for us to hold out but we did, and increased our lead and it was fantastic for our supporters.” (Reuters)
