just when one was thinking how well man utd are playing this season, they failed in a simple test of character. i had a feeling that something like this would happen and really, utd failed to show enough spunk to equalize though they had about fifteen minutes to net an equalizer. could be the turning point in their season.

"Test of character"? are you kidding me? What to beat 11 men and the "Pompey friendly" referee as well?? United played well as did Pompey but lets call a spade a spade here, the referee was a disgrace and refereed an unbalanced game with Diarra getting away with NFL tackles, the blatant penalty not given (with more NFL esque tackling from Distin) and to cap it all off the unnecessary sending off.

A Portsmouth 'Friendly' Referee ?!?! That's a bit rich seeing that no visiting team were able to get a penalty awarded to them for 6 Seasons at Old Trafford in 1990s. Referee's waved 'play on' when visiting sides had a creditable penalty shouts. Linesmen suddenly appeared blind when balls crossed the Man Utd goal line, whether this was due to crowd intimidation or officials being in fergusson's 'back pocket' is debatable.
The main reason reason why Portsmouth beat Man Utd was due to fact that their 'egos' were not not so inflated and they were prepared to 'battle' for the right to be in a FA Cup Semi-Final.
Whilst every credit must go to way that Fergusson has Managed Utd over the years he was completely let down and embarassed by the poor display given by his players, who, thought they could just stroll into the Semis without having to break sweat.
This is now just 'Water under the Bridge' and no amount of debate or argument will change the result. So let's just wish Portsmouth,Barnsley, Cardiff and W.B.A. the best of luck on their travels to the Wembley Final.

well said greavsie, i think utd had only themselves to blame for missing so many chances and pompey held their nerve when taking the penalty, which as you said is probably the first one given at old trafford in six years. anyway,the fa throws up some very amazing matches and last weekend was a prime example of the excitement that the fa cup generates. it is as if the gods smiled down on pompey and the others and taught the big four a much needed lesson.

[quote=greavsie]
Referee's waved 'play on' when visiting sides had a creditable penalty shouts. Linesmen suddenly appeared blind when balls crossed the Man Utd goal line

You said it yourself "Referee's" waved play on etc....... just because penalities were not given out like candy at old trafford is no reflection on anything but poor referee's and not anything else. You make it sound like OT is Iraqesque when there is far more intimidation to be found else where, Highbury over the years for example.
I have seen some awful decisions against visiting teams at OT, but Alex Ferguson is in the dugout, and not the man with the decision to make.
See the problem here Greavsie, is that both you and Roop are choosing to say whay goes around comes around but that does not justify the poor decision making, call it what it is or are you guys so ABU that you relish to see Man U ripped off?