Farnborough Town

This game took place at Highbury (despite being an away fixture, it was switched on the grounds of safety), on Saturday 15th January at 3pm. Attendance was 35,108.

Final result was 5-1. Arsenal's goalscorer were Campbell 19', Jeffers 23' & 68', Bergkamp 74' & Lauren 78'

Here's the official report from Arsenal.com: "Goliath comfortably held off the challenge of David in this enthralling FA Cup fourth round tie at Highbury. It would have been the mother of all giant-killing acts if Farnborough, eighth in the Conference, had beaten Arsenal, last season's Double winners and the current leaders of the Premiership. It was never to be. Sol Campbell and Francis Jeffers scored in the opening 23 minutes then, to add to their worries, Farnborough's Christian Lee was sent off for hauling back the former Everton striker as he sprinted clear. Jeffers scored again midway through the second half but Rocky Baptiste replied for the Hampshire side to send the visiting fans into rapture. However substitute Dennis Bergkamp and Lauren swiftly added goals as Arsenal cruised home. Right from the start, you could tell this was a special day. Bergkamp and Thierry Henry, who had both reached 100 goals for Arsenal in recent matches, were rewarded with special 'bespoke crystal awards' in a presentation on the pitch before the game. They were handed over by surprise guest Ian Wright. Naturally our record goal-scorer received a huge ovation. Then, of course, our side came out in their second strip, all blue, and Farnborough captain was allowed to call at the coin toss. Although we were playing in the familiar surroundings of Highbury, this was classed as a home fixture for the Conference side. Approaching 6,000 Farnborough fans filled the Clock End complete with scarves and balloons. They made a mighty racket in the opening few minutes. The Arsenal side was as expected with only Gilberto and Thierry Henry completely rested. Patrick Vieira (groin), Pascal Cygan (calf) and Ray Parlour (calf) started their first games after injury while the likes of Stuart Taylor, Francis Jeffers and Kolo Toure were given another chance to impress. Farnborough settled reasonably well despite Danny Carroll receiving an early yellow card for fouling Vieira. Keeper Tony Pennock saved well from the resulting free-kick from Gio van Bronckhorst. He also got down well to Parlour's drive. After 15 minutes, the experienced Ken Charlery fired over Taylor's bar as Farnborough briefly threatened. The respite was short, however, as Campbell climbed highest to nod in from Van Bronckhorst's corner. Then Jeffers slotted home, again at the near post, after Toure's perceptive cut-back. It was his third goal of the season in only his fifth start - and on his 22nd birthday as well. As the game went on, Robert Pires started to revel in the space he was allowed. His dipping half-volley from 25 yards was palmed aside by Pennock at full stretch. Just before the half hour it got worse for Farnborough when Lee was sent off for tugging back Jeffers as he burst through. The red card was booed by both sets of supporters but, in truth, the ex-Gillingham striker left referee Alan Wiley with little option. Jeffers was still at the centre of everything though and he had goal disallowed for offside a few minutes later. The game fell a little flat after the dismissal and Arsenal went into the break holding the game by the scruff of its neck. We began the second half in exactly the same way. Ray Parlour skied a shot over the bar from six yards out and only Darren Annon's outstretched leg prevented Kanu adding a third after Pennock had gone AWOL. Baptiste scuffed a header wide of the far post after beating Kanu to Gary Holloway's far post free-kick. Ten minutes later Steve Watson stung the hands of Taylor with a rising drive from just outside the area. But, in the 68th minute, Jeffers replied with our third when Van Bronckhorst reached the byline and centred for the birthday boy to nod into the empty net. Farnborough reduced the arrears immediately when Baptiste evaded Cygan and scuffed home a shot at the second attempt after Taylor had produced a decent low save. Bergkamp returned the game to normality soon afterwards with a simple tap-in with 16 minutes left and Lauren slotted home a solo strike soon afterwards. Jeffers might have completed his hat-trick with eight minutes left but, after running on to Parlour's pass, blazed his shot over the bar. And, in the dying seconds, Annon cleared Bergkamp's shot off the line."