Harty on Albion in the FA Cup, the draw with Palace and Worthing RFC

A fortunate own goal and a cast-iron penalty denied at the other end sees the Seagulls travelling up to the mighty Liverpool for the next round.

At the time of going to press, a day and date has still to be agreed by the clubs, the police and the TV companies.

Given that Everton allegedly have first pick on a Saturday game, I would think Sunday afternoon, on ESPN or ITV, looks favourite for a repeat of the fifth-round game in 1983, when the Albion famously won 2-1, on their way to the FA Cup Final that year.

With the Albion due to be allocated 7,000 tickets, 15 per cent of Anfield, and the game almost certainly on TV, I doubt we’ll see the obligatory moaning and groaning over ticket priority.

With that amount of tickets up for grabs, everyone who wants one, I’m sure, will get one.

The Albion couldn’t quite make it a double whammy on Tuesday with “derby” 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Perhaps a case of after the Lord Mayor’s Show, with Palace having lost a League Cup semi-final last week on penalties and the Albion still on an FA Cup high.

But, still with an electric atmosphere, despite the fact Palace cannot seem to get anywhere near a full house for perhaps their biggest home league game of the season, the game didn’t really deliver.

Another case of a penalty debate, as, in my opinion, neither team deserved their respective spot-kicks, so perhaps a draw was the fairest result.

Results did go the Albion’s way elsewhere, and a win this Saturday at home to fellow chasers, Leicester City, can move them further into play-off contention.