League One Blackpool produced one of the biggest shocks of Saturday’s FA Cup third-round action by beating West Brom on penalties, while non-league Chorley eliminated a youthful Derby side that had been affected by Covid-19.
Premier League West Brom lost 3-2 on penalties after the two sides had drawn 2-2 after extra time to complete a miserable return to Bloomfield Road for Baggies boss Sam Allardyce, who used to manage Blackpool.
Chorley overcame the depleted Championship club Derby 2-0 at Victory Park, the National League North side’s third victory over English Football League opposition in this season’s competition.
“I’m ecstatic, really proud,” Chorley boss Jamie Vermiglio, a primary school head teacher, said after goals by Connor Hall and Mike Calveley earned the Magpies a place in the fourth round for the first time.
“We’ve made around £250,000 before today; goodness knows what it’ll be now. It’ll certainly be £300,000 or £400,000.
“We could possibly get to £500,000 now and for a club like us, not only does it save us, it enables us to grow.”
The tie had been in doubt because of freezing temperatures and Vermiglio added: “We had volunteers sleeping here overnight and used hairdryers and kettles to make sure the game was on.”
Chorley plays in the sixth tier of English football, four tiers below Derby.
Crystal Palace and Aston Villa also fell at the first hurdle after losing their all-Premier League games on Friday to Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool respectively.
The third round is where clubs from the top flight and Championship enter the famous competition.
Newcastle also went out after losing 2-0 at holders Arsenal, extra-time goals by Emile Smith Rowe and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang sending the Gunners through.
Sheffield United was not the only Premier League team to suffer a scare before going through. Burnley needed a last-minute goal to force extra time and then a penalty shootout to overcome League One side Milton Keynes Dons.
Everton and Fulham both needed extra time to see off Championship sides Rotherham and QPR respectively.
There are a further nine ties across Sunday and Monday, including eighth-tier Marine’s historic home tie against eight-time winners Tottenham on Sunday on BBC One (17:00 GMT) – never in the competition’s history has there been such a gap between two teams at this stage.
League Two Crawley Town will be looking to upset Premier League Leeds United (13:30) in front of the BBC One cameras, while Morecambe from the fourth-tier of English football are at eight-time winners Chelsea.