FA Cup - Memorable third round giant-killings for Leeds United, Sheffield United, Huddersfield Town, Rotherham United and Middlesbrough

WITH FA Cup talk now in the air - forcing league matters to take a back seat this coming weekend - the Yorkshire Post dusts down the record books to look back at some memorable third-round crackers of yesteryear.

QPR 0 Sheffield United 3 – 2015

League One outfit Sheffield United heaped more third-round misery upon top-flight outfit QPR with a comprehensive Loftus Road win. Blades top scorer Marc McNulty scored the opener when he finished off a swift counter-attack and two strikes from Jamal Campbell-Ryce ensured a famous win for Nigel Clough's side.

Aston Villa 1 Sheffield United 2 – 2014

MAGIC MOMENT: Jermaine Beckford slides the ball past Manchester United goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak and Wes Brown to score at Old Trafford in the FA Cup in January 2010. Picture: Tony Johnson.MAGIC MOMENT: Jermaine Beckford slides the ball past Manchester United goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak and Wes Brown to score at Old Trafford in the FA Cup in January 2010. Picture: Tony Johnson.
MAGIC MOMENT: Jermaine Beckford slides the ball past Manchester United goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak and Wes Brown to score at Old Trafford in the FA Cup in January 2010. Picture: Tony Johnson.

The Blades produced one of the shocks of the round, thanks to Ryan Flynn's winner nine minutes from time. The visitors stunned the home side when they took the lead through a deflected Jamie Murphy strike in the twentieth minute. Substitute Nicklas Helenius fired in an equaliser 15 minutes from time, but Flynn's fiercely-struck strike secured victory for the ecstatic Blades.

Manchester United 0 Leeds United 1 – 2010

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Jermaine Beckford firmly entered Whites folklore following his oh-so-sweet strike at the old enemy - to inflict a maiden third-round defeat on Manchester United during the tenure of Sir Alex Ferguson and their first loss to a lower-ranked side in his reign.

Those events have subsequently been commemorated in song by Leeds followers, 9,000 of whom headed over the Pennines on that delicious day.A real 'where were you when' moment.

CREAM ON TOP: Jamal Campbell-Ryce of Sheffield United beats QPR goalkeeper Alex McCarthy to make it 3-0 at Loftus Road in January 2015 Picture: Jordan Mansfield/Getty ImagesCREAM ON TOP: Jamal Campbell-Ryce of Sheffield United beats QPR goalkeeper Alex McCarthy to make it 3-0 at Loftus Road in January 2015 Picture: Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images
CREAM ON TOP: Jamal Campbell-Ryce of Sheffield United beats QPR goalkeeper Alex McCarthy to make it 3-0 at Loftus Road in January 2015 Picture: Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images

Huddersfield Town 2 Birmingham City 1 – 2008

A late strike from Chris Brandon ensured the Terriers, then in League One, claimed the scalp of top-flight Birmingham City.

Luke Beckett scored from close range after four minutes to provide Town with a dream start, only for Garry O'Connor to level after Matt Glennon parried Fabrice Muamba's shot - but it was the hosts' day, thanks to Brandon.

Rotherham United 2 Southampton 1 – 2002

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PERFECT TIMING: Huddersfield's Chris Brandon celebrates with team-mates after scoring the winning goal against Birmingham City during the FA Cup third round in 2008. Picture: Gareth Copley/PA Wire.PERFECT TIMING: Huddersfield's Chris Brandon celebrates with team-mates after scoring the winning goal against Birmingham City during the FA Cup third round in 2008. Picture: Gareth Copley/PA Wire.
PERFECT TIMING: Huddersfield's Chris Brandon celebrates with team-mates after scoring the winning goal against Birmingham City during the FA Cup third round in 2008. Picture: Gareth Copley/PA Wire.

Goals from Richie Barker and John Mullin enabled Ronnie Moore's Millers to overcome top-flight opposition in the FA Cup for the first time since 1968 as they sent Gordon Strachan's Saints packing.

Barker's header and a fine Mullin finish put the hosts' 2-0 in front and despite Marian Pahars reducing the arrears from the spot on 69 minutes, the Millers were not to be denied.

Middlesbrough 2 Manchester City 1 – 1992

Lennie Lawrence's Boro - in a season when they made waves in both cups and clinched promotion - saw off Manchester City in front of the Match of the Day cameras at Ayresome Park following a late comeback.

LEGEND: Paul Hendrie scores Halifax's winning goal against Manchester CIty in January 1980.LEGEND: Paul Hendrie scores Halifax's winning goal against Manchester CIty in January 1980.
LEGEND: Paul Hendrie scores Halifax's winning goal against Manchester CIty in January 1980.

Veteran Peter Reid put City ahead early in the second half, but strikes from Alan Kernaghan and Paul Wilkinson turned the tables in a season when second-tier Boro knocked the top-flight Mancunians out of both domestic cup competitions.

Doncaster Rovers 1 QPR 0 – 1985

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Billy Bremner's Rovers saw off Terry Venables' Division One outfit at a jam-packed Belle Vue, thanks to a 78th-minute goal from midfield enforcer David Harle, with the hosts - then in the third tier - earning a glamour trip to Goodison Park in round four in the process.

Middlesbrough 3 Arsenal 2 – 1984

Boro, then managed by the late Malcolm Allison, put their toils in the second division to one side with a thrilling victory over Arsenal - to avenge defeat to the Londoners in the fifth round of the competition in the previous season.

Home goals arrived from Garry MacDonald, Paul Sugrue and Mick Baxter, with Tony Woodcock and Charlie Nicholas replying for the Gunners.

Halifax Town 1 Manchester City 0 – 1980

Allison - then manager at Manchester City - endured the flip side of the cup coin at Halifax, which witnessed a huge round three shock as George Kirby's Shaymen saw off their illustrious visitors in the mud. The hosts' goal hero was Paul Hendrie - the father of former Aston Villa midfielder Lee and uncle of ex-Middlesbrough and Leeds winger John - with his strike arriving 15 minutes from time in front of 12,599 fans. The events of the day were memorably captured on Yorkshire TV with commentary from Martin Tyler.

Liverpool 2 Doncaster Rovers 2 – 1974

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Rovers may have arrived at Anfield propping up the entire Football League, but they proceeded to give Bill Shankly's Reds - who went onto win the competition that season - an almighty scare.

Rovers almost clinched a remarkable victory in the dying stages when Peter Kitchen hit the bar. The Reds got off to a great start when Kevin Keegan - lining up against his hometown club and the team who rejected him as a youngster - fired them in front on three minutes.

But soon after, Rovers were level, with Kitchen toe-poking home after Ray Clemence fumbled a cross and the visitors were in dreamland on 18 minutes when Alan Murray's cross was converted by Brendan O'Callaghan.

Keegan struck for a second time to restore parity three minutes before the hour from Ian Callaghan's cross - ahead of Kitchen's header almost winning it late on. Liverpool won the replay 2-0 at Belle Vue.