Havant & Waterlooville fought Liverpool all the way in a 5-2 fourth round FA Cup defeat at Anfield.
Non-league heroes sunk by Benayoun hat-trick
Havant & Waterlooville produced an FA Cup performance to remember as they fought Liverpool all the way in a 5-2 fourth round defeat at Anfield.
Blue Square South club Havant sit 123 league places below their hosts but Shaun Gale's side had not read the script and looked intent on creating their own cup fairytale from kick-off.
The Hampshire part-timers stunned Merseyside after eight minutes as Richard Pacquette lost Steve Finnan at a corner to head in.
Liverpool then laboured and it took a spectacular curling effort from Leiva Lucas after 27 minutes to silence Havant's noisy travelling support.
However, the drama of the cup was to strike again four minutes later as Finnan failed to clear and Alfie Potter clipped in a close-range effort, which picked up a deflection off the hapless Martin Skrtel on its way past Reds goalkeeper Charles Itandje.
Havant, though, could not cling on to their advantage until half-time as Yossi Benayoun slotted home from eight yards after good work from Ryan Babel.
The equaliser proved crucial for Liverpool as they dominated the second half and Benayoun netted twice to claim his hat-trick before Peter Crouch hit late on to send the Reds into the fifth round.
Reds boss Rafa Benitez left Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Jamie Carragher on the bench, while reserve goalkeeper Itandje started in place of Jose Reina - and probably wished he hadn't.
Undaunted
Havant were undaunted early on - captain James Collins clattered Javier Mascherano, Rocky Baptiste knocked over Sami Hyypia and Potter saw a shot deflected wide.
Benayoun headed Jermaine Pennant's cross wide, but Havant were intent on making their mark - and in the eighth minute they scored.
Mo Harkin planted a corner into the six-yard box and former QPR player Pacquette headed it powerfully past Itandje.
Liverpool were stunned and while the Kop applauded loudly, the fans of the non-league club erupted.
John Arne Riise had two efforts blocked, Benayoun shot wide, but the anxiety grew, as did Havant's confidence.
The visitors should have scored again in the 23rd minute when Itandje twice fumbled as Harkin's free-kick flew wildly around the box and when the keeper fell over, Shaun Wilkinson hooked over an open goal from 10 yards.
Havant held their lead until the 27th minute when Ryan Babel laid the ball back to Lucas, and the Brazilian curled a fine goal into the top corner from 25 yards.
But the visitors were ahead again just past the half hour when Potter, on loan from Peterborough, capitalised on a blunder by Steve Finnan and fired in a shot that Skrtel deflected wide of Itandje.
The non-leaguers, organised at the back, were humiliating supposed top-class players and Carragher and Torres were soon warming up.
But a minute before the break Liverpool managed to claw themselves level when Pennant set up Benayoun, who created a yard of space to fire in a right-footer that gave goalkeeper Kevin Scriven no chance.
Havant started the second period on the back foot - and in the 55th minute they were punished when Pennant crossed from the right and Benayoun had time to turn and fire into the roof of the net.
And just before the hour Benayoun completed his hat-trick, firing in on the rebound after Babel's shot came back off Scriven.
Carragher eventually came on in place of Hyypia on 84 minutes, with Gerrard following for Mascherano two minutes later.
Although Neil Sharp forced a fine save from Itandje, Gerrard set up Crouch for a tap in a minute from time.
The dream was over for Havant - but they had given Liverpool the shock of their lives.
| Liverpool |
Team Statistics |
Havant and Waterlooville |
| 5 |
Goals |
2 |
| 2 |
1st Half Goals |
2 |
| 10 |
Shots on Target |
2 |
| 10 |
Shots off Target |
3 |
| 10 |
Blocked Shots |
1 |
| 14 |
Corners |
5 |
| 8 |
Fouls |
15 |
| 1 |
Offsides |
1 |
| 0 |
Yellow Cards |
1 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 51.7 |
Possession |
48.3 |
|
