John Helm: Jermaine Beckford’s goal a kiss of life for Cup

Jan 6 2010 by Dougie Thomson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

NOW I know none of you good folk in Huddersfield will agree, but I really do think Leeds United did the whole country a great service on Sunday.

There can never have been a duller set of results than the ones thrown up by the FA Cup until that epic victory at Old Trafford which even had Sir Alex choking on his cold turkey.

I know last week I extolled the virtues of this incomparable competition but even I had to admit that there was none of the usual glitter about a single tie if Portsmouth 1 Coventry 1 was the closest we came to using the word “shock”.

Even the atmosphere at the Galpharm was low key with Town showing far too much respect to West Brom for 45 minutes, then paying for a couple of defensive errors.

Nearly every match was the wrong way round with the Barrows, Yorks, Lutons and Carlisles of this world having to travel to the Goliaths of the game.

So Jermaine Beckford’s stunning strike at least gave the cup the kiss of life.

I’m a little bit more hopeful for the fourth round with three stand-out ties.

Scunthorpe have already given Manchester City a good run for their money at Eastlands in the Carling Cup, and this time they take on Mancini’s millionaires at Glanford Park, which doesn’t have too many rich men in the stands.

Then there’s Preston against Chelsea. Having sacked manager Alan Irvine – shamefully in the opinion of most of us – then beaten Colchester 7-0, who knows what to expect from North End?

This match brings back memories of a Christmas double header in the days of Sir Tom Finney (just plain Tom the plumber in those days) and Jimmy Greaves, when Chelsea won 4-2 at Stamford Bridge.

The teams travelled together by train to Lancashire and the next day Chelsea won again 5-4 at Deepdale.

Fulham are not the mightiest name in the Premier League, but it would still constitute a massive surprise if they were to go down at either Accrington or Gillingham, who still have to settle their third-round squabble.

And, of course, Leeds could do to Tottenham what they did to Manchester United – but I’m not expecting you to hold your breath.