Sport

Gunners hold on for victory

THEO Walcott was pleased Arsenal avoided the same fate as some of their Premier League counterparts as the FA Cup holders held off a spirited Brighton fightback to progress to the fifth round yesterday. Arsenal were seemingly cruising when Walcott gave them the lead inside 90 seconds and Mesut Ozil doubled their advantage in the 24th minute.

Chris O'Grady pulled a goal back for Brighton five minutes into the second half, but again Arsenal seemed home and hosed when Tomas Rosicky (pictured) restored their two-goal advantage four minutes later. Brighton then set up a nervy final 15 minutes for Arsenal when Sam Baldock scored but the Gunners held on to take a step closer to retaining the trophy they won by beating Hull at Wembley last May.

Walcott said: "It's nice to get three goals but we will be disappointed with the goals we have conceded. "We will look back at that and think what we could have done better but in the FA Cup it doesn't matter how you perform, as long as you get through it's the main thing."