Hernandez seals United fightback

Javier Hernandez
12 April 2012

Javier Hernandez's smart finish helped Manchester United avoid an embarrassing upset against Southampton as they claimed a 2-1 win in the FA Cup fourth round at St Mary's.

The home side bossed the first half and deservedly broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time, with Richard Chaplow smashing the npower League One side ahead.

But Michael Owen equalised with his first goal since September, before Hernandez ghosted in to wrap up the tie with quarter of an hour remaining.

The former Premier League stalwarts were almost ahead in the eighth minute when the ball deflected through to Dan Harding, who coolly clipped home. Unfortunately for him, the assistant referee's flag was already up.

Making his first start for almost four months in a withdrawn role, Owen provided an early threat, steering Fabio's inside pass narrowly wide before clattering the far post with a mishit cross.

But that was as good as it got for the visitors as the in-demand Alex Chamberlain, reportedly a target for United, began to come more and more into the game. The 17-year-old was involved in what should have been an opener a minute before the break when Guly nodded over Danny Butterfield's cross from six yards.

But Chaplow spared his team-mate's blushes moments before half-time when he broke into the United box and slammed the ball into the roof of the net at Anders Lindegaard's near post.

If United fans were expecting the cavalry to arrive for the second half, they were initially disappointed as Wes Brown replaced Fabio in a defensive reshuffle. With no sign of an equaliser in the opening 13 minutes, Sir Alex Ferguson sent on Ryan Giggs and Nani for Anderson and Darron Gibson, controversially ignoring Wayne Rooney and the on-fire Dimitar Berbatov.

The equaliser soon followed in the 65th minute, with Gabriel Obertan's drilled cross deflecting right into the path of Owen, who nodded home his first goal since September.

And United completed their latest comeback 14 minutes from time, Jose Fonte's slip allowing Hernandez to receive Giggs' through ball and ghost an improvised finish into the net.

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