Third-tier Yeovil Town earned a dream FA Cup third-round tie at home to giants Manchester United after beating fourth-tier Accrington Stanley 2-0 in a second-round replay on Tuesday.
The game at Yeovil’s Huish Park, played in front of 6,373 fans, looked to be heading to extra-time until Simon Gillett and Kieffer Moore scored twice in the final six minutes.
Yeovil were relegated from the second-tier Championship last season and currently sit in the League One relegation zone, 62 places below 11-time FA Cup winners United in the English league system.
“The pressure was on because everyone in Somerset wanted Manchester United to come down to Huish Park,” Yeovil manager Gary Johnson told BBC Radio 5 Live. “Because of the prize, nobody wanted to make a mistake. When the second goal went in, that was when the Yeovil fans could really celebrate because at that point we were in the ascendancy. I think all the board of directors were on their knees for 90 minutes, praying that we’d win. They’ll be very proud of their football club.”
The two teams have met only twice before, with both games coming in the FA Cup. United crushed Yeovil 8-0 in the fifth round in February 1949, having beaten them 3-0 in the third round 11 years earlier.
In Tuesday’s other matches, fourth-tier Tranmere Rovers set up a third-round match at home to top-flight Swansea City by winning 2-1 at home to Oxford United, Barnsley won 3-0 at Chester, Luton Town defeated Bury 1-0, Cambridge United won 1-0 at Mansfield Town and Rochdale thumped Aldershot Town 4-1.
The third-round ties are due to be played on the weekend of Jan. 3 and Jan. 4.
COUPE DE LA LIGUE
AP, PARIS
Nantes rallied from a two-goal deficit to beat 10-man Metz 4-2 in extra-time and advance to the quarter-finals of the Coupe de la Ligue on Tuesday.
Metz led 2-0 before Oswaldo Vizcarrondo pulled a goal back for Nantes with a 71st-minute header. The visitors then crumbled under the pressure and Gaetan Bussmann was sent off for a deliberate handball in the area, with Serge Gakpe converting the penalty.
Johan Audel put Nantes ahead in the 92nd minute with a low shot before Ismael Bangoura completed the win.
SC Bastia also advanced after extra-time in a 3-2 win over fellow relegation strugglers Stade Malherbe Caen Calvados.
The Corsicans trailed 1-0 and 2-1 before equalizing again in the 89th minute.
Benjamin Mokulu pounced to score the winner after a scramble in the penalty area.
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