Brighton 2-1 Crystal Palace: Glenn Murray comes off bench to snatch messy late winner as Seagulls seal FA Cup fourth round clash with Middlesbrough

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So, after all the fuss about video assistance, football took it first tentative step into the 21st Century with an FA Cup tie settled by a scruffy set-piece goal which still managed to inspire debate.

It was scored with only three minutes remaining and credited to Brighton’s former Crystal Palace striker Glenn Murray but it was not his affiliation which sparked controversy.

As replays were shown on screens around at the Amex Stadium the Crystal Palace players, staff and fans demanded a review. 

Glenn Murray came off the bench to snatch a late winner as Brighton beat Crystal Palace 2-1 in the FA Cup third round

The striker bundled the ball home from near the goalline to ensure Brighton sealed a fourth round clash with Middlesbrough 

Murray pictured sending the ball home in the 87th minute to help Chris Hughton's men seal their place in the next round

The 34-year-old stooped low to make some sort of contact as he tried to nudge the ball into the empty net

Murray is congratulated by his Seagulls team-mates after scoring the dramatic late winner at the Amex Stadium

PLAYER RATINGS AND MATCH ZONE 

BRIGHTON 4231: Krul 6; Schelotto 6.5, Huenemeier 6, Goldson 6, Bong 6.5; Stephens 6.5 (Propper 61, 6), Kayal 6.5; Brown (Baldock 6 min, 6), March 7, Izquierdo 6.5; Hemed 6 (Murray 81).

GOALS: Stephens 25 

SUBS: Maenpaa, Dunk, Skalak, Murray, Rosenior, Propper.

MANAGER: Chris Hughton 6

PALACE 4231: Hennessey 6; Fosu-Mensah 6, Kelly 6, Delaney 6, Schlupp (Souare 13, 6); Riedewald 5.5, Cabaye 5.5; Townsend 5 (Kaikai 46, 6), McArthur 5.5, Van Aanholt 6; Sako 6.5.

GOALS: Sako 69 

SUBS: Speroni, Milivojevic, Tomkins, Lee, Wan-Bissaka.

MANAGER: Roy Hodgson 6

REF: Andre Marriner 6 

This is how Dale Stephens put Brighton ahead in the 25th minute on Monday night at the Amex Stadium. CLICK HERE to find out more from our MATCH ZONE.

 

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Murray could be seen stooping low to make some sort of contact with his body as he tried to ensure a header from centre-half Uwe Huenemeier made its way into the net.

He was trying to make contact with his chest - or any part of his body – and the striker said he glanced his knee on the way in, but there was a suspicion the ball might have grazed his arm, too, on its way past.

Palace fans quickly grew hopeful there might be an escape route, while in the television studio, the experts studied replays and had to admit it was hard to tell.

Somewhere in a compound near Heathrow, Neil Swarbrick, the video assistant referee, was examining the same footage and there was certainly no clear evidence of a mistake by the officials at the game.

On the pitch, Andre Marriner made no move towards his pitch-side screen as all eyes at the Amex Stadium turned his way.

Murray’s goal would stand, Brighton held on to their slender lead for a tense final few minutes. 

Bakary Sako levelled the scoring at 1-1 on Monday night following an emphatic strike from long range on 69 minutes

The goalscorer is congratulated by his Palace team-mates after briefly drawing his side level in the second half

Sako salutes the travelling Palace supporters after netting the impressive equaliser during the second half

The 29-year-old fired the ball home from long range into the bottom corner of Tim Krul's net to haul Palace level

The whole episode supplied a dramatic climax to an otherwise mundane third round tie which was strangely muted considering the simmering ill-feeling between these rival clubs.

The crowd was below capacity with Palace’s ticket allocation capped on security grounds and the two managers made a total of a dozen changes to the teams selected previously in the Premier League.

Two thirds of the changes were made by Brighton boss Chris Hughton - while Roy Hodgson omitted both Wilfried Zaha and Christian Benteke from the Palace squad.

Priorities were clear enough, the prospect of a trip to Middlesbrough in Round Four did little to warm the cockles and both managers seemed relieved to avoid a replay.

Stoppages disrupted the early flow when Izzy Brown and Jeffrey Schlupp were forced off with what looked to be serious knee injuries after contesting a loose ball in a strong but clean tackle.

Andros Townsend suffered an ankle injury, was replaced at half-time and went home on crutches. 

Midfielder Dale Stephens put Brighton in front in the 25th minute following a neat move from Hughton's men

Stephens celebrates with his Seagulls team-mates after firing his side 1-0 ahead early on in the FA Cup third round clash

Palace defender Timothy Fosu-Mensah, on loan from Manchester United, lays on the floor showing his dejection

Palace's James McArthur and Joel Ward look disappointed after seeing their side fall behind to Stephens' goal

Stephens pictured firing the ball past goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey at the front post during the opening period

Brighton dominated the first-half and were wasteful in front of goal but took the lead through captain Dale Stephens, who burst into the penalty area onto a pass from Ezquiel Schelotto and drove low past goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey.

Palace travelled south having lost only one of their previous 11 games but managed only one effort on target in the first-half.

They improved after the interval and Bakary Sako levelled with a brilliant long-distance strike, fizzed across a slippery surface and perfectly accurate as it flashed past goalkeeper Tim Krul.

Moments later, Sako rolled past centre-half Connor Goldson and smashed another effort into the side-netting before Brighton responded by creating a cluster of clear chances.

Sam Baldock rattled a post and Beram Kayal missed perhaps the clearest opportunity, firing over.

An effort from Tomer Hemed on the turn was too close to ‘keeper Hennessey and Baldock accelerated clear of the Palace defence only to miss the target. 

Sako runs down the left wing as Ezequiel Schelotto tries to stop his opponent from crossing the ball into the area

Plenty of Brighton fans decided to stay away from the Amex Stadium on Monday for the clash against their fierce rivals

Brighton's Sam Baldock vies for the ball with Palace midfielder Yohan Cabaye during the early stages of the cup clash

Then came the late winner. Solly March, who excelled with his dead-ball delivery launched a free-kick, Huenemeier won it in the air and Murray applied the slightest of touches.

It had to be Murray, the 34-year-old striker who was on as a late substitute to sink Palace, where he spent four years of his career.

The goal came with an element of confusion but ultimately the technology helped to ensure a correct decision was reached.

We were warned – or should that be reassured – this technological advance to VAR would not mean the end of disputed decisions.

As for the rest of the recording, the best way Swarbrick can assist might be to destroy the tape so no-one has to watch it again. 

Isaiah Brown was forced off with an early injury and was replaced by Baldock in just the sixth minute of the match

There was a huge police presence outside the Amex Stadium prior to kick-off between the two rivals on Monday night