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THE FA CUP: Own-goal sends Preston tumbling out of FA Cup

* Sheffield Utd or Boro vs. Cardiff * Manchester Utd vs. Portsmouth * Bristol Rovers vs. West Brom * Barnsley vs. Chelsea Source: Reuters

Premier League Portsmouth sneaked into the FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday after an own-goal in the third minute of stoppage time by Preston defender Darren Carter secured a 1-0 victory at Deepdale.

England goalkeeper David James had earlier kept Portsmouth in the Cup with two superb second-half saves, including one from a penalty.

In Sunday's other fifth round tie, Pompey's top-flight rivals Middlesbrough were forced into a replay after a goalless draw away to Championship side Sheffield United.

That looked like being the outcome for Pompey against Championship strugglers Preston until Carter put through his own goal as he tried to clear a corner which had appeared to be handled, albeit accidentally, by Portsmouth's Hermann Hreidarsson.

"The Cup's about winning, however you do it, whenever you do it, the last minute is fine for us," James said.

Portsmouth failed to make the most of their first-half chances.

They were almost made to pay dearly by a side battling to avoid relegation to the third-tier of English soccer.

On the hour mark, defender Sylvain Distin clipped Preston's Billy Jones inside the box and the home side had a penalty.

But James, guessing correctly, dived to his right to block Simon Whaley's spot-kick.

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp admitted his team had been fortunate to escape a replay against a Preston side that belied their league position.

"They didn't deserve to lose that game. If they played like that every week they wouldn't be in a relegation battle," he said.

At Bramall Lane, Sheffield United striker James Beattie hit the outside of the post for the hosts just before half-time with a free-kick from the edge of the box.

Boro almost won the game in stoppage time when defender Emanuel Pogatetz's close-range header was blocked in what was Kevin Blackwell's first match as Sheffield United manager following his appointment as successor to Bryan Robson.
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