Manchester United 2-0 Southampton
Reading 5-1 Coventry City
Hull City 1-2 Arsenal
Everton 0-1 Millwall
Derby County 3-3 Barnsley (Barnsley won 9-8 on penalties)
The FA Youth Cup sponsored by E.ON
Fourth Round Proper
Wednesday 17 January 2007

Hull youth team manager Billy Russell was left to rue two red cards after his side were knocked out of the FA Youth Cup by Arsenal.

The game started badly for the home side when Matt Plumber was sent off for handball in only the 16th minute, and their misery was compounded when Jay Simpson opened the scoring for Arsenal from the penalty spot.

Mark Randall made it 2-0 on the half hour mark and, although Hull pulled one back with a well-taken free-kick from Nicky Featherstone, their hopes of a comeback were dashed when captain Matthew Plummer was dismissed for violent conduct.

Russell, though, was disappointed with the refereeing decisions and felt his team deserved more from the game.

“The boys can take great credit from the performance but we were disappointed to lose in the manner that we did,” he said.

“What is difficult is that it is youth football, so not only do you have to deal with defeat but also with a kid who has been sent off in the biggest match of his career.

“But the team coped very well with a fantastic Arsenal side. We set up with a defensive line-up and being reduced to nine men made it very difficult. But in the second half they rose to the occasion and could have equalised late on.”

Meanwhile, Barnsley won a dramatic penalty shoot-out, 9-8, against Derby County at Pride Park, with Ryan Jennings scoring the winning spot kick.

County had lead 2-1 at half-time, after Luke Federenko’s early strike was cancelled out by goals from Paris Simmons and Karl Ashton. A late own goal by David Wood, however, took the game into extra-time.

Barnsley thought they had won it after 118 minutes when Jacob Butterfield volley restored their lead, but the home side snatched an equaliser in stoppage time when Robert Ujcik levelled.

Derby County youth team manager Kevin Thelwell admitted his team was devastated by the result.

He said: “It’s really difficult as there is nothing you can say to these young boys after they tried so hard and played so well to try to win the game. We hope they can take something away and learn from the experience.”

In the other two matches played on Wednesday night, Manchester United eased past Southampton, 2-0 at Hyde, with goals from Sam Hewson and Danny Drinkwater, while Millwall shocked Everton as Joe O’Rourke’s strike secured a 1-0 victory.