Crystal Palace's Bakary Sako appears to be bundled off the ball by Brighton & Hove Albion's Uwe Hunemeier, right, during their English FA Cup, Third Round soccer match at the AMEX Stadium in Brighton, England, Monday Jan. 8, 2018. (Gareth Fuller/PA via AP)
The Associated Press
BRIGHTON, England (AP) - Brighton striker Glenn Murray benefited from the first use of video replay in competitive English soccer when he nudged the ball over the line with his knee to secure a 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace in the FA Cup on Monday.
Referee Andre Marriner was seen listening to instructions in an earpiece in the 87th minute after Murray got on the end of Uwe Hunemeier's header. Some television replays were initially unclear whether the ball brushed against Murray's arm before falling into the net.
Neil Swarbrick, a video assistant referee, was assessing footage of the third-round game at a control room in west London as part of international trials of the new technology that will be used for match-changing incidents.
"It wasn't my arm," Murray said. "The VAR would have pulled me back if it was ... I just needed to get something on it and luckily I did. I got my hip or my knee on it."
Bakary Sako leveled for Palace in the 69th when he struck the ball from distance in off the post, canceling out Dale Stephens' first-opener opener.
Murray's winner on the south coast set up a fourth round meeting a second-tier side Middlesbrough.
Crystal Palace's James McArthur, left, and Brighton & Hove Albion's Connor Goldson jump for a high ball during their English FA Cup, Third Round soccer match at the AMEX Stadium in Brighton, England, Monday Jan. 8, 2018. (Gareth Fuller/PA via AP)
The Associated Press
A view of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system pitchside, which will be used for the English FA Cup, Third Round soccer match at the AMEX Stadium in Brighton, England between Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace, Monday Jan. 8, 2018. (Gareth Fuller, PA via AP)
The Associated Press
A view of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system pitchside, which will be used for the English FA Cup, Third Round soccer match at the AMEX Stadium in Brighton, England between Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace, Monday Jan. 8, 2018. (Gareth Fuller, PA via AP)
The Associated Press
Brighton & Hove Albion's Glenn Murray, 17, celebrates scoring his side's second goal of the game against Crystal Palace during their English FA Cup, Third Round soccer match at the AMEX Stadium in Brighton, England, Monday Jan. 8, 2018. (Gareth Fuller/PA via AP)
The Associated Press