I travelled 250 miles to Anfield to watch Non-League local side Havant take on Premiere League giants Liverpool in the 4th round of the FA cup. Before the match, I don't think anyone expected Havant to win, but for almost an hour Havant played the sort of football that would not disgrace a premiere league team. Everyone at the game during the first half was astonished to see Havant twice go ahead, looking capable of winning. I think mighty Liverpool were given the fright of their lives by tiny Havant & Waterlooville before beating the non-league side 5-2 in an astonishing FA Cup fourth-round tie at Anfield on Saturday 26th January 2008. This game confirms there is still magic in the FA cup. See all the news about the Liverpool V Havant game below.
Liverpool had to twice come from behind to beat Havant & Waterlooville and reach the FA Cup fifth round. See the BBC Liverpool V Havant and Waterlooville Match Report. There are links to some grater post match interviews with Havant players. BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match was Havant & Waterlooville's Richard Pacquette 8.76 (on 90 minutes). You can still give the players marks out of 10 on BBC Sport's Player Rater after the match has finished.
Sky Sports has a great transcript of the highlights of the commentary of the Liverpool V Havant and Waterlooville game - "31 - GOAL!!! Incredible. Finnan makes a hash of his defending and Potter sneaks in to dink the ball over Itandje. The ball clips off Skrtel, who is having a terrible full debut, on its way into the net. Who says there is no more magic in the FA Cup?"
Sunday Mirror Football: HAVANT HEADS HIGH - everybody who was at Anfield knows ..... that for almost an hour Rafa Benitez's side looked stricken and heading towards the biggest humiliation in FA Cup history.... As Havant's team was announced over the tannoy before kick-off, the Anfield fans applauded the names of every one of them... A touch of style from the Liverpool supporters.. And by the eighth minute their faces were as red as Benitez's face, never mind the team shirts.
A corner, a header, and a bunch of gas fitters, van drivers and binmen from Hampshire towns Havant and Waterlooville were – astonishingly – 1-0 up at Anfield. They were beating Liverpool. The team from the Blue Square South League were the lowliest to get to this stage in the competition in 17 years..............
The Daily Mail write up by Daniel King speaks of the heroes of Havant & Waterlooville accepting the ovation from football's most famous stand, and knowing there was no condescension in the Kop's applause.
Hawks fans who were there will love the fact that the song lyrics got noticed, with a picture of the score board showing Liverpool 1 Havant 2, with the caption :- Unbelievable: Havant fans sang 'Can we play you every week' after going 2-1 ahead
Visit the Official Website of Havant and Waterlooville Football Club. Rich Self has done a brilliant job of ensuring that the club website has the right information for all the attention it's currently getting. This club will remember their day at Anfield forever.
YouTube video of all the goals in the Liverpool V Havant FA Cup 4th Round Match.
