Cobblers Shock Liverpool

WOW. That is all I can say right now. Tiny Northampton Town FC has pulled a shocker, defeating Liverpool on PK's at Anfield today. Even though today's Liverpool lineup had a combined total of 8 EPL starts this season (ie - big time scrub team), it is still an amazing result for the League 2 team. I mean, surely, a second rate Liverpool squad is still 5 times better than a League 2 team. Especially at home.

Somehow, the Cobblers got it done. Liverpool jumped on the board in the9th minute and I was sure that was the beginnings of a long day. Yet for the next 46 minutes, Northampton kept it a one goal game before Billy McKay equalized in the 56th minute. Regular time ended in a draw. I thought they would then go to a replay next week, but apparently the Carling Cup has OT and penalty kicks to name a winner. Northampton got on the scoreboard first in OT as 18-year old Michael Jacobs scored from 6 yards out only to see the Reds equalize three minutes before full-time. Surely, Northampton couldn't beat mighty Liverpool in PK's. Surely the last minute goal they conceded would be a blow to their confidence. Surely their nerves would not hold up. After all, no one had ever been a game this big before.

Unlike fellow League 2 squad Scunthorpe United who lost 5-2 to Man Utd, Northampton got lucky and prevailed in PK's. The Cobbler's can thanks David Ngog for missing wide and Nathan Ecclestan for rattling the crossbar. They helped cement this most unlikely of results. Not to speak in hyperbole but this might be the biggest win in Cobblers history.

Now I ask traditional sports fans if a result like this is possible in any American sports. Once in a while you'll see Bucknell defeat Kansas in the NCAA Tournament. The difference is that every year only 8-12 teams have little or no shot of winning in the first round. In the Carling Cup, every team in the 4 divisions gain entry meaning that every single team in the lowest division get a shot of knocking off the big boys. In the FA Cup, over 700 professional and amateur teams get the opportunity to face the big boys. Imagine your Sunday men's team entering the FA Cup and starting a magical run that somehow lands you against Chelsea in the later round. It's highly highly improbable, but the stuff dreams are made of.