Luton and MK Dons provide huge shocks

 

The big clubs may have survived in this afternoon's fourth round ties but that certainly wasn't the case for a couple of Premier League strugglers. Mike Norman reports on today's results...

 

Even allowing for their poor form and/or lowly league position, home defeats for both Norwich and QPR provided huge shocks in this afternoon's FA Cup fourth round.

 

Premier League outfit Norwich - available to back at 1.32 to win the game before kick-off - suffered a humiliating defeat at Carrow Road to Blue Square Premier side Luton Town, and in doing so became the first top-flight club to be beaten by a non-league club since Sutton United beat Coventry City in 1989.

 

Scott Rendell was the goal-scoring hero, but everyone associated with Luton - who sit 85 places below the Canaries in the league ladder - can be proud of their club this evening. The 0-1 Correct Score was matched at 38.0 In-Play on Betfair.

 

QPR's poor season continued with an equally humiliating defeat at home to MK Dons. It wasn't the 31 places that separate these two clubs that made for the shock, but it was the manner of the defeat for Harry Redknapp's men that was the big surprise.

 

The Hoops were a goal down inside a few minutes and trailed the League One side 0-2 at half time (that score was matched at 46.0) before falling 0-4 down shortly into the second half. Only a few late goals salvaged a bit of pride but it was still a shattering defeat for QPR.

 

The 2-4 Correct Score was matched at 270.0 with a MK Dons win backed at 10.0 in the Match Odds market.

 

Elsewhere there were wins for the 'big three' clubs in action this afternoon, all by a single goal margin and all secured very late in the game.

 

Manchester City were matched at a high of 5.0 In-Play before beating Stoke 0-1 at the Britannia Stadium, while Everton hit even higher odds - 13.5 to be precise - before overcoming Championship side Bolton at the Reebok Stadium.

 

Arguably the game of the day however came at the Amex Stadium where Gus Poyet's Brighton side twice came from behind before losing at the death to Arsenal.

 

Olivier Giroud - matched at 6.6 - opened the scoring before putting his side back in front 10 minutes into the second half. Goals from Ashley Barnes and Leonardo Ulloa kept Brighton in it, but a late Theo Walcott goal prevented Arsene Wenger's men from going to a replay.

 

The Gunners hit a high of 4.0 to win the game with the 2-3 Correct Score being matched at 34.0.

 

With the fourth round still incomplete, the Winner market currently has Man City as the 4.7 favourites to lift the trophy with Manchester United (5.4), Chelsea (6.6) and Arsenal (8.4) close behind.

 

 

FA Cup fourth round results in full

 

Bolton 1 Everton 2

Brighton 2 Arsenal 3

Derby 0 Blackburn 3

Huddersfield 1 Leicester 1

Hull 0 Barnsley 1

Macclesfield 0 Wigan 1

Middlesbrough 2 Aldershot 1

Norwich 0 Luton 1

QPR 2 MK Dons 4

Reading 4 Sheff Utd 0

Stoke 0 Man City 1

 

Bet HERE

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