Liverpool: Mansfield Secure Reds FA Cup Tie

Blue Square Bet Premier side Mansfield Town have overcome Lincoln City to earn a plum third-round FA Cup tie against Liverpool...

Non-league Mansfield Town will host Liverpool in the third round of this season's FA Cup after defeating fellow conference outfit Lincoln City last night.

The Stags secured a 2-1 second-round replay victory courtesy of Louis Briscoe's 77th minute winner and an own goal from Lincoln keeper Paul Farman. Adam Smith had equalised just before half time for the visitors.

The original tie ended in a 3-3 draw and there had been concern that the replay would be postponed due to the weather. Thankfully for the hosts the decision to employ an inflatable cover, under which hot air was blown onto the playing surface, proved fruitful and the game went ahead as scheduled.

Mansfield last qualified for this stage of the FA Cup in the 2007-08 season whilst in contrast Liverpool have won the competition seven times with the last time being in 2005-06 under Rafa Benitez.

The Reds also finished runners-up in the competition last season; losing 2-1 to Chelsea in May's final at Wembley.

The two sides have been pitted against each other only once previously; Bill Shankly's Liverpool winning 3-2 in a 1970 League Cup replay at Anfield after the original match had been drawn 0-0 at Field Mill.

The match will be broadcast live in the UK by ESPN and is planned to take place on Sunday 6th January 2013 with a 4pm kick off time.

Full FA Cup third round draw
Accrington Stanley or Oxford v Sheffield United
Aldershot v Rotherham or Notts County
Aston Villa v Ipswich
Barnsley v Burnley
Barrow or Macclesfield v Cardiff
Blackburn v Bristol City
Bolton v Sunderland
Brighton v Newcastle
Bury v Bradford or Brentford
Charlton v Huddersfield
Cheltenham v Everton
Crawley v Reading
Crystal Palace v Stoke
Derby v Tranmere
Fulham v Blackpool
Hull v Leyton Orient
Leeds v Birmingham
Leicester v Burton
Mansfield v Liverpool
Luton v Wolves
Manchester City v Watford
Middlesbrough v Harrogate or Hastings
Millwall v Preston
Nottingham Forest v Oldham
Peterborough v Norwich
QPR v West Brom
Southampton v Chelsea
Swansea v Arsenal
Sheffield Wednesday v MK Dons
Tottenham v Coventry City
West Ham v Manchester United
Wigan v Bournemouth

The third round will take place on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th January 2013.

Follow me on Twitter @superbag

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.