Mansfield eliminate Burnley from the FA Cup in a surprising result.
Mansfield shocked Premier League side Burnley to progress to the fifth round of the FA Cup for the first time in over fifty years.
The Stags, currently positioned mid-table in League One, arrived at Turf Moor on a five-match winless streak but rallied from a goal down to secure a 2-1 triumph.
Burnley suffered for their failure to capitalize on opportunities in the first half, with Josh Laurent’s goal in the 21st minute being their only reward at halftime.
Rhys Oates equalized in the 53rd minute, and captain Louis Reed concluded a strong individual display with a stunning free-kick winner ten minutes before the end.
This marks the furthest Mansfield has advanced in the competition since 1975, having previously defeated Sheffield United in the third round.
Burnley entered the match buoyed by their first Premier League victory since October against Crystal Palace earlier in the week, but manager Scott Parker made nine changes, leading to a disappointing afternoon.
Burnley nearly took the lead in the third minute, but Ashley Barnes missed an open goal from just four yards out while unmarked in the penalty area.
Chants of ‘that’s why you’re going down’ echoed from the away supporters as the striker sat on the ground with his head in his hands.
Burnley displayed early quality, and a well-executed move allowed them to take a 21st-minute lead, with Lyle Foster playing a one-two and finding Laurent on the right side of the box, who calmly cut inside both the defender and goalkeeper to slot the ball into an empty net.
Jacob Bruun Larsen appeared poised to add a second when he chased a long ball and attempted a lob over Liam Roberts, but Kyle Knoyle demonstrated great determination to slide in and clear the danger.
Mansfield fans celebrated in the 34th minute when Oates found the far corner, but the goal was disallowed for a foul on Hjalmar Ekdal.
While Mansfield remained competitive, Burnley looked more likely to score, and another prime opportunity arose shortly after when Barnes and Laurent set up Loum Tchaouna 12 yards out, but he shot well wide.
Oates might have thought he had missed his chance when, four minutes after the break, Ekdal’s slip allowed him to break through, only for him to shoot over the bar.
However, he demonstrated better precision with his head four minutes later, directing Knoyle’s excellent deep cross into the bottom corner.
The visitors displayed increased intensity, prompting Parker, who had given James Ward-Prowse his first start since joining on loan from West Ham, to introduce Hannibal Mejbri and Marcus Edwards.
Yet, Mansfield maintained the momentum, and Max Weiss had to react quickly to deny a long-range effort from Stephen McLaughlin, while Lucas Akins saw his follow-up blocked.
Roberts thwarted the lively Edwards at the other end, but when Florentino conceded a free-kick 25 yards out, Reed stepped up to send the ball soaring into the top corner.
Burnley pressed for an equalizer, but substitute Zian Flemming’s close-range shot over the bar epitomized their frustrating afternoon.
West Ham thank Summerville for avoiding a scare
Crysencio Summerville once again proved vital for West Ham as they required extra time to defeat League One Burton and advance to the last 16 of the FA Cup with a 1-0 victory.
Nuno Espirito Santo made 10 changes at the Pirelli Stadium against a team grappling with relegation concerns, and the Hammers struggled until the match entered extra time.
However, five minutes after the restart, Summerville, who came on in the 83rd minute for Ollie Scarles, provided the spark that had been missing during the regular 90 minutes, picking up the ball on the left touchline just inside the Burton half and charging toward goal.
The 24-year-old evaded two defenders before unleashing a shot that deflected off Terence Vancooten, looping over Brad Collins for his sixth goal in his last seven matches.
This scoring streak began in West Ham’s third-round victory over QPR in this competition and has contributed to a run of three wins in five Premier League matches, offering renewed optimism in their fight against relegation.
“He’s in a good moment,” Nuno stated. “Summerville is brimming with confidence. Everything he does seems to go well, so we must capitalize on it.”
Summerville had scored just once in his first 38 appearances for West Ham after transferring from Leeds in the summer of 2024, with his initial season cut short last January due to a hamstring injury. However, he is currently in exceptional form.
“It’s about confidence,” Nuno remarked. “With attacking players, you understand how it is. It’s all about confidence because many actions are individual. He’s in a good moment, working for the team, and he knows he can make a difference.”
West Ham needed someone to make that difference after facing a determined Burton side that held their own for much of the match.
The team sitting fourth from the bottom of the third tier restricted their Premier League opponents to several half-chances but lacked the quality to challenge Alphonse Areola themselves.
The Hammers still had much to do after Summerville’s goal and were forced to hold on for the final 20 minutes after Freddie Potts was sent off for a poor challenge on Julian Larsson.
“I didn’t see the images, so it wouldn’t be fair for me to judge the decision,” Nuno commented. “But I reiterate, I believe Freddie Potts is not a violent player. He’s very fair. He needs to be aggressive, but he’s not violent at all.”
Burton manager Gary Bowyer felt his team should have been awarded a first-half penalty when Jake Beesley fell under a challenge from Konstantinos Mavropanos but expressed pride in their performance.
“The way we pushed a Premier League team to the last seconds of extra time is a testament to the boys and the football club,” he said.
“We started the game well. We knew they had made 10 changes, so it takes time to find their rhythm. Our pitch is also a bit of a leveler, so we recognized there were chances for us.
“In the crucial moments, we haven’t quite been able to execute, and then it’s a moment of quality from Summerville. That’s what he can do, isn’t it?”
