Palace draw minnows in Cup

Last updated : 05 December 2005 By Nik Taylor

Palace will play either Northampton Town or Stevenage Borough at Selhurst Park in the third round of the F.A. Cup.

It is the first time the Eagles have been drawn at home in the third round since the 1997/8 season, when we kicked off our cup campaign at Selhurst Park against Scunthorpe.

Away ties against Newcastle (twice), Sunderland (twice), Cambridge, Blackpool and Spurs have followed, so Palace fans will be relieved to have at last got another opening game on home turf.

Northampton and Stevenage played out a thrilling 2-2 draw on Saturday, with Boro striker Anthony Elding equalising in the 83rd minute. The replay will be at Northampton’s Sixfields Stadium on Tuesday 13 December.

The third round matches will be played on the weekend of 7/8 January.

The full draw:

West Brom v Reading
Fulham v Leyton Orient
Brighton v Coventry
Wolves v Plymouth
Port Vale/Bristol Rovers v Doncaster
Sheffield Wed v Charlton
Torquay v Birmingham
Man City v Scunthorpe
Newcastle v Mansfield
Luton Town v Liverpool
Preston v Crewe
Stoke City v Tamworth
Derby County v Burnley
Southampton v MK Dons
Blackburn v QPR
Arsenal v Cardiff
Stockport County v Oldham or Brentford
Norwich City v West Ham United
Ipswich Town v Portsmouth
Wigan v Leeds
Sunderland v Woking or Northwich
Chelsea v Huddersfield
Cheltenham Town or Oxford v Chester City
Leicester City v Tottenham
Watford v Bolton
Sheffield United v Colchester United
Nuneaton or Histon v Middlesbrough
Hull City v Aston Villa
Barnsley or Bradford v Walsall
Burton or Burscough v Manchester United
Crystal Palace v Stevenage or Northampton
Millwall v Everton