Barnsley 1 Chelsea 0ONE OF the Barnsley players, with the suspicion firmly aimed at the resident practical joker Rob Kozluk, had pinned a note to Chelsea's dressingroom door prior to kick-off on Saturday.

"Warning," it read. "Toilets out of order."

As pranks go, it was hardly sophisticated but it did set the tone. By the end the only thing overflowing in this pocket of South Yorkshire was delight.

The disbelief will still prompt gasps today. Avram Grant had brought a side that cost well in excess of €130 million to Oakwell, the Premier League team kicking off in the knowledge that Manchester United had already been jettisoned from the competition earlier in the day. Yet they were eclipsed here.

Harried and hassled, the holders failed to test Luke Steele in the home goal and succumbed to a winner from a €300,000 striker who had not scored since September and has spent much of his first season at this level being abused by his own fans.

The inquests will inevitably revolve around Grant and why, with so much quality at his disposal, the Israeli could not succeed against a team that cost barely €1.5 million and whose basic gameplan revolved around a frenzied desire to tackle and stifle anyone in blue who came near them.

That is not a criticism of the Championship side but a reality of countering Chelsea's vast resources. Where was the visitors' guile or the composure to make true quality tell?

Liverpool had ensured Steele was the man of the match in the fifth round. This time, albeit with much help from his defenders, he went virtually untested here.

Those questions will be posed in the boardroom at Stamford Bridge. This was Barnsley's day, an occasion which took the breath away and ensured that for the first time since 1987 none of the "big four" have made the semi-finals.

The word "dream" shone through the grins of all the victorious players' post-match reactions.

Simon Davey was still pinching himself at having won in the previous round. He will be black and blue by now.

"I've never even been to Wembley," he said, contemplating a semi-final at the national stadium. "What we've done is making dreams come true."

Barnsley have not reached this stage in 96 years and, having endured so much in the decade since they graced the top flight, they deserve their return.

They battled to contain the visitors, with Kozluk and Dennis Souza outstanding, before Martin Devaney found space down the right, Wayne Bridge was distracted by Marciano van Homoet's sprint on the outside and Devaney's cross was nodded in by Kayode Odejayi. Carlo Cudicini's pathetic flap summed up Chelsea.

"There is nothing worse than being booed by your own," said Odejayi. "But hopefully this will go a long way to winning them round."

This was his second goal of the season and reward for a fine display which had Ricardo Carvalho flustered from the start. Odejayi, like his team-mates, was hoisted from the field by those delirious fans who had doubted him.

Afterwards Chelsea's beaten players, their disappointment tempered by admiration, had even forgiven Kozluk his joke. "JT congratulated us at the end, saying we'd deserved it," added Davey.

Wembley awaits.

Scottish Cup

AN INJURY-TIME equaliser from Celtic striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink rescued a replay for the Parkhead side in their quarter-final tie against Aberdeen at Pittodrie yesterday.

With 11 minutes of the game remaining, Aberdeen midfielder Jeffrey de Visscher linked up with Lee Miller on the edge of the Celtic box before driving a low shot past goalkeeper Artur Boruc.

A minute into injury time Vennegoor of Hesselink prodded in a cross from substitute Georgios Samaras.

Chris Burke fired Rangers into the last eight when he scored the only goal of the fifth round replay against Hibernian at Ibrox.