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They think it’s all over…is it now?

ITV have made a sheepish apology following their embarrassing blunder which meant millions of football fans missed the winning – and only – goal of last night’s FA cup game.

After 118 minutes of the fourth round replay between arch rivals Everton and Liverpool, the game was still 0-0 and only a few nail-biting minutes were left.

But as a neutral football fan, I was actually looking forward to the tense penalty shoot-out that seemed to the certain destination for this game.

So when the image on my TV suddenly changed from the game to adverts for Tic-Tacs and VWs, I wasn’t that worried.

We’d sat through all but a couple of minutes of the two-hour game without a goal, so what was the likelihood of anything happening now?

Apparently, there was a very good chance.

Stunned is the only word to describe how I felt as the game flickered back on to my screen to show Everton fans celebrating youngster Dan Gosling’s winning goal.

And without a huge interest in either team, I’m guessing my shock was just a fraction of that felt by die-hard Liverpool or Everton fans after missing the most crucial moment of the game.

The gaffe has been blamed on a ‘technical problem’ – apparently an automated system for screening adverts was still in place, which didn’t take the game’s extra-time in account.

But it’s not the first hiccup the channel has had when it comes to the FA Cup this season.

Following Leeds United’s shock 1-0 defeat by non-league Histon, ITV went into the dressing room to see the underdogs celebrating their win, only to be confronted with a naked player live on camera.

And then, instead of leading their highlights with Manchester City’s humiliating loss to Nottingham Forest, or Hartlepool’s unexpected win against Stoke City, they focused on Derby’s victory over Forest Green Rovers – one of the most predictable results of the round.

But I’ve got to say I actually feel a little bit sorry for ITV after this latest slip-up.

Of the 120 minute match, it’s only in the 30 seconds that the game disappeared from the screens that goal was scored.

Now, that is what you call some major bad luck.

Written by Gemma