FA Cup: Holders Arsenal Dumped Out After 2-4 Loss To Nottingham Forest

FA Cup holders Arsenal crashed out of the competition by Nottingham Forest on Sunday, joining Leeds United as big-name casualties on a day of shocks. Elsewhere, West Ham stayed alive with a goalless draw at Shrewsbury and Tottenham scored three goals in just eight second-half minutes to see off the challenge of League One side AFC Wimbledon. Championship side Forest revived memories of their glory years under Brian Clough, putting 13-times winners Arsenal to the sword in an incident-packed win at the City Ground.

Eric Lichaj opened the scoring for the home side but Per Mertesacker equalised just three minutes later.

However, Forest continued to probe an inexperienced Arsenal line-up and got their reward just before half-time when Lichaj volleyed in spectacularly from the edge of the box.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, serving a touchline ban, was forced to watch powerless from the stands as Rob Holding conceded a penalty that Ben Brereton converted to stretch home side's lead to 3-1.

Danny Welbeck gave Arsenal hope with just over 10 minutes to go but Kieran Dowell netted from the penalty spot again to seal a 4-2 win for the second-tier side over the Premier League visitors.

In the early kick-off, on-loan forward Shawn McCoulsky headed in a dramatic 89th-minute winner for Welsh club Newport to seal a 2-1 victory against 1972 Cup winners Leeds.

Leeds had taken an early lead at Rodney Parade when Gaetano Berardi's deflected long-range shot found the net.

But Newport, currently 11th in League Two -- the fourth tier of the English game -- levelled 14 minutes from time when Leeds defender Conor Shaughnessy sliced into his own net.

Infused with fresh belief in front of a passionate Welsh crowd, Newport pressed for a winner, and with a minute to go on-loan substitute McCoulsky rose highest at a corner to head in the decisive goal and send the stadium into raptures.

Much-changed Leeds were then reduced to 10 men when substitute Samuel Saiz was immediately sent off over an off-the-ball incident.

"This is much better beating Championship teams like Leeds," said Newport manager Michael Flynn. "I don't want to be winning relegation battles, I want to be winning FA Cup ties and climbing the table."

It is another miserable result in the FA Cup for Leeds, who crashed out in the fourth round last year to non-league Sutton United.

(With AFP Inputs)