Phil Parkinson denied allegations from Sheffield United’s captain, Billy Sharp, that Wrexham had been “disrespectful” in the buildup to their FA Cup fourth-round replay, before then accusing Sharp of being disrespectful himself following a thrilling tie at Bramall Lane.
The Championship side ultimately ended Wrexham’s fairytale run in this season’s cup as two late goals from Sharp and Sander Berge secured a 3-1 win and a meeting with Tottenham in the next round. But Sharp then launched an onslaught towards the non-league side, saying he was glad they had knocked Wrexham out after what he perceived to be a disrespectful approach from some of their players.
Sharp told ITV: “I think they’ve been disrespectful with a few things before the game, thinking they were already through. I’m glad we’ve beat them. They’re doing well in their league, we’re doing well in ours, but I wasn’t happy with a few of their players.
“I wasn’t happy with the way they’ve been as a club before the game, eyeing up Spurs. They’ve not even beat us.”
Those comments were countered by Parkinson, who accused Sharp of causing a scene in the tunnel after the match had concluded. “I was a bit disappointed with Billy, with some of the things he was shouting down the tunnel,” Parkinson said. “He’s a fantastic player but I thought he was disrespectful after the game. The way their players celebrated was a mark of how tough we made it for them. My message to Billy is: you’re better than that. My players are humble people and they’re a credit to the football club.”
Parkinson’s opposite number, Paul Heckingbottom, attempted to play down any talk of unsavoury post-match scenes, but he did admit: “There’s a way to win and a way to lose, that’s it. I’m not interested in it. There’s lots of things that come with Wrexham and part of that is all the attention off the pitch, so how you behave then gets magnified.”
League Two Grimsby produced a huge FA Cup shock as they stunned Championship side Luton 3-0 in their fourth-round replay.
Sixty places separated the second tier playoff contenders and the Mariners. Paul Hurst’s side took the opportunity with both hands as they clinched a spot in the fifth round for the first time since 1996 in style. The tie was settled by half-time as goals from Harry Clifton (pictured), Danilo Orsi and Danny Amos did the damage.
Clifton, who forced the replay with his equaliser in the first game, got the party started with a left-footed effort in the ninth minute. Orsi doubled the advantage as his firmly-struck effort found the bottom corner in the 28th minute. Amos then sent the hosts into dreamland as his free-kick went in off a post in first-half stoppage time.
Nathan Tella scored in the first minute and very nearly the last as Burnley advanced to the fifth round with a 2-1 replay victory over Ipswich.
Tella needed only 46 seconds to put Burnley in front but after Ipswich hit back through George Hirst two minutes later it was turning into a frustrating night for the Championship leaders. That was until the third minute of stoppage time, when Tella controlled a long ball into the box and sent a powerful finish beyond Vaclav Hladky. It sets up a last-16 home tie against League One Fleetwood.
Carlos Mendes Gomes sent Fleetwood into the fifth round for the first time after a deserved 1-0 win in an all League One tie against Sheffield Wednesday.
The on-loan Luton winger climbed highest to meet Phoenix Patterson’s 60th-minute free-kick to score his eighth goal of the campaign. Having inflicted Wednesday’s first defeat in 15 games in all competitions and knocked out QPR in round three, the Clarets will hold no fears for the Cod Army. PA Media
Parkinson added he hoped Wrexham’s run to the fourth round could act as a springboard for their bid to gain promotion back to the Football League. He said: “We’ve shown everyone what we’re all about as a football club, the spirit of Wrexham and how strong it is. We wanted this Cup run to enhance our league campaign and I really feel it has.”
