Here’s the match report from Stuart James. And with that I’ll leave you – what a game, and cup shock, that was. Thank you for enjoying it with us!
Mike Flynn speaks: “I’m so proud of the players, what they’ve done, they were excellent on and off the ball, we created quite a few chances and I’m very proud of them. We didn’t have any beers in the dressing room so we had to make do with water.”
Thank goodness Leicester can now focus on finishing ... seventh eh?
This is Newport’s day though. Here’s Matt:
“A little bit surreal at the moment, it’s not really sunk in. We all fight for each other and [Amond] has come up with the winner. I thought we had a few chances in the first half to go 2-0 up but in the first half we knew we had to keep calm. We expected them to come out but defended brilliantly, all the boys put in a shift and I’m absolutely buzzing.”
And Amond: “Obviously it’s brilliant to score the winner but it’s a big one, we deserved it. I’m sure there’ll be a few celebrations.”
As for Leicester, perhaps Puel will wish he’d played Maddison from the start and perhaps Gray, too. Maybe even Vardy. But this was a side that, as I said at the top of the show, should have had enough to win. They didn’t do enough and Puel might find there are further question marks over his position now.
Oh, my! What a result. And what a well deserved one. Newport really had to dig in during that second half and there was a touch of inevitability behind Ghezzal’s equaliser. It seemed only one team could go on and win – but it was the League Two side, mustering the wherewithal to go again, earn themselves a penalty and convert it through the ice-cool Amond. What a bold, courageous, gutsy performance from Mike Flynn’s inspirational side.
Full-time: Newport 2-1 Leicester
They have done it!!! It’s surely the shock of the round!
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90+4 min: And they only just do, Maddison curling barely a metre wide from 20 yards! Is that it now?
93 min: Choudhury tees up King in the kind of 16-yard zone he used to score quite a lot of goals from ... but he puts it straight into Day’s clutches! Newport have one minute to survive!
90+2 min: Amond releases Semenyo on the left. He goes for the shot rather than the corner flag and it’s deflected narrowly wide of the diving Ward’s post! Newport have exactly what they want now – a corner – but don’t get to play keepball for that long and Leicester win a throw.
90+1 min: Newport have four added minutes to see this through. The tension in there, the anticipation and excitement, is something else.
90 min: This is absolutely gripping. Franks concedes a corner with Iheanacho breathing down his neck. It’s delivered well beyond the back post, though, and Pipe whacks it upfield for Leicester to retrieve and come again.
88 min: Albrighton has a serious error to atone for and swings a decent cross up towards Iheanacho, but Pipe does really well to put him off the header.
87 min: What drama. What a game. Newport kept on going, tried to go forward anew even after what seemed a crushing equaliser. And they earned their shot at a winner! O’Brien now comes on for Dolan to help them see this out.
Goal! Newport 2-1 Leicester (Amond 85 pen)
He rolls it into the corner, sending Ward the wrong way! They looked out on their feet – but they’re on the verge of doing this!
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Penalty to Newport!
Incredible! Neufville crosses from the left, it strikes Albrighton on the outstretched arm and that is a spot kick all day! They have a chance to win it. It’s Amond ...
Goal! Newport 1-1 Leicester (Ghezzal 82)
It’s happened in the 82nd minute again, unfortunately. Day makes a sensational point-blank save from Maddison and Newport seem to have survived. But Franks, lying prone, can only half-scoop the ball away to the edge of the area and Ghezzal meets it first time, absolutely *thundering* the ball into the top corner. Heartbreak for Newport and now they need to make sure they don’t lose.
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80 min: Willmott, absolutely tireless, slide-tackles against Ghezzal now and wins a goal kick to wild cheers.
79 min: Morgan knocks down a Maddison corner and Willmott blocks Ghezzal’s volley. Some of this has been real bodies-on-the-line stuff. Then Demetriou puts Maddison off enough to prevent him making contact with a raking ball upfield.
77 min: Kane equalised in the 82nd minute last year. It was a bit gutting at that moment for Newport, but by the end they were roared off the pitch. They are entering the period now where an equaliser would seem genuinely upsetting. Semenyo, brilliant here, thunders in to dispossess Albrighton on the near byline before he is joined by another Bristol City loanee, Tareeq Bakinson, who finally does replace Matt.
75 min: Respite comes for Newport in the form of a long throw from Demetriou. There’s a bit of head-tennis around the Leicester box and then a clearance, but they’re enjoying getting up the pitch a bit.
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74 min: Matt appeared to be coming off but, apparently, mouthed “There’s no way I’m coming off” at Flynn and, indeed, he isn’t.
72 min: Matt is down getting treatment. He has been excellent up there, holding the ball up so well and of course showing that vital cutting edge too. Andy King now replaces James for his first Leicester appearance in a year!
70 min: Some desperate defending now – Franks heroically blocks a Maddison effort from 12 yards and fist-pumps after doing so. This is going to be one heck of a hairy last 20.
69 min: Now Albrighton takes aim again but it’s not as close as his last one, skidding wide.
68 min: Pipe’s first involvement is to leather a clearance away and you’d fancy a few more of those will be required. Leicester keep up the pressure and Wes Morgan, briefly cameoing as a winger, earns a corner. Matt volleys Maddison’s delivery upfield.
67 min: Newport freshen things up by bringing the experienced David Pipe on for right-back Forbes, who has done well out there.
65 min: Leicester might be well on top now, with Newport looking increasingly flustered whenever they get a rare hold of the ball, but the fact is they still haven’t scored – and they don’t have Harry Kane like Tottenham did last year. They don’t have Jamie Vardy either. So don’t hang your hat on them finding a leveller.
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62 min: Demetriou gets away with one! He completely miscues from a diagonal Albrighton ball and tees it up for Iheanacho – who has to spin sharply but should hit the target. Instead he screws wide!
61 min: “As a Leicester fan, I feel obliged to point out that this scoreline is by no means a shock to me. That is all,” writes Rai Skrupskis.
It’s probably not surprising to long-serving fans who remember the old days but the current side should be better than this.
59 min: Yes, Leicester are dominant now and starting to look like producing something, although Albrighton is beaten by the pitch and slices a cross over after encountering a bobble. They are going to make a very attacking change now, Simpson replaced by Gray.
57 min: Maddison is starting to get Leicester playing a bit. Newport need to get out a little more; Leicester’s pressure was always going to ramp up but they don’t want to be totally encamped in their own half for 35 minutes or so.
54 min: Leicester’s best effort yet – Albrighton hits the bar! They’ve upped the tempo here and, coming in from the left, he dips a wonderfully-struck effort onto the frame and out!
52 min: Now that was more meaningful from Iheanacho, getting up well to force a save from the solid-looking Day with a combination of head and shoulder.
51 min: And they almost get a chance on the break as Matt can’t quite find Amond in absolutely acres of space, two Leicester defenders dashing back to cover. Iheanacho *gets a touch of the ball* shortly afterwards, winning a header, but his glance runs through to Day. Then it’s back to the other end again and Amond tries a spectacular overhead kick that flies wide!
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50 min: Leicester haven’t had the chance to build up any pressure in a stop-start beginning to the half. All good for Newport so far.
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47 min: Choudhury and James in midfield have made too many “safe” passes for Leicester here. Maddison should at least provide a good, purposeful option dropping in for them.
Peeeeep! Big half here!
Newport kick us back off.
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Leicester substitution: James Maddison is on for Okazaki and you can colour me not very surprised.
“It’s nice to know that in these cynical times that we still have the occasional magic of the FA Cup,” writes Speakeasy Ray.
Second half coming right up. Leicester are going to have to improve a *lot*. They can’t say they were not warned by Spurs’ experience of last season.
@NickAmes82 Are you on a bonus for getting in mentions of the pitch at Dave Parade?
— Gareth Davies (@gareth_in_blyth) January 6, 2019
If I am then I’m wasting a huge opportunity to be able to afford to eat this month.
Half-time: Newport 1-0 Leicester
The half ends with an Okazaki booking. This has been everything you’d want from an FA Cup tie, unless you’re a Leicester fan. Newport deserve their lead. The Premier League side have had a couple of good chances but the hosts, roared on by a raucous home crowd, have not exactly sat back since scoring and had several more dangerous moments themselves. A big shock is most definitely on here – stay with us!
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44 min: Newport are just a touch deeper than they had been, now, with the half coming to a close. They’ll want to avoid any errors in the next couple of minutes and Willmott swipes a diagonal ball behind for a Leicester corner. They’ve looked a threat from these but Morgan, swinging a boot at it, can’t make contact.
42 min: Incidentally, I promise you that Kelechi Iheanacho is playing. I’m just genuinely not certain he’s touched the ball yet.
40 min: An escape for Newport there! Fuchs overlaps on the left, crosses and Okazaki is on hand to play a sidefoot volley ... into the flailing form of Franks, who gets in the way before the diving Day!
38 min: FucHs goes for a long throw of his own. It feels like a compliment from Leicester to fight fire with fire but it earns a corner, which Albrighton flicks wide of the near post.
36 min: Semenyo looks a really good young player and shows great feet to start a Newport move out on the far touchline. They genuinely look more likely to score a second, just now, than Leicester do to equalise.
33 min: Another Demetriou long throw is cleared, but only as far as Dolan. His daisycutter is fumbled by the perhaps unsighted Ward; Semenyo looks to pounce on the rebound but is offside. Newport are giving more than they’re getting at the moment.
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31 min: Albrighton fires one down the throat of Day, whose protection has been better in the last 10 minutes.
30 min: Close to a second! Amond chases a ball down the left and *just* hooks it back from the byline. Matt is running in and his first touch is brilliant, but he just runs out of space and Ward can gather at his feet.
29 min: Matt and Semenyo are absolute menaces, the latter eventually pulled up for some relentless hassling of Albrighton.
Not sure that’s how you spell @FuchsOfficial surname 😳😳 pic.twitter.com/vVlUfHLN35
— Iwan Roberts (@iwanwroberts) January 6, 2019
Fair Fuchs, that’s funny.
26 min: More sterling work from Willmott, who is simply going for the line in the old-fashioned style whenever he wins possession, gains Newport another corner. Dolan aims it to the back stick and Ward punches it away, a bit unconvincingly but sufficiently, with Matt lurking.
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25 min: A long Newport throw in comes in from Demetriou and Matt is up above the defenders to win it again ... but can’t get any direction on his flick.
23 min: Ghezzal is felled close to the edge of the box and this is a fine opportunity for Leicester to get another shot in. Ghezzal shrugs Albrighton and Fuchs aside, this one’s his ... but he floats it a couple of yards over and draws distinctly withering glares from his team-mates. Puel looks similarly annoyed.
22 min: Newport look absolutely set on going for a second goal. And Leicester are certainly creating opportunities. It’s an excellent cup tie at the moment.
19 min: This is a great game. Semenyo has a go for Newport and it’s deflected wide, so now they have a corner of their own. Willmott plays a low one in to Amond at the near post and he lays back to the onrushing Dolan. It’s a sweet routine and Dolan, cracking one from 20 yards, forces Ward to save with his legs!
18 min: Albrighton should score! Fuchs takes advantage of some iffy defending to get to the line and pulls back for the winger, who seems certain to bury it ... but two defenders throw themselves in and his effort glances off one of them and over! From the corner, Okazaki heads across and Choudhury can’t get a clean connection when, once again, the goal is begging.
17 min: What if ... what if Newport could score a second? That’s what everyone is wondering when Simpson fouls the awkward Semenyo 25 yards out ... and they come close, Dolan curling up and around the wall, drawing a decent save by Ward, who manages to keep hold of the ball too.
16 min: Encouragingly for Newport, they haven’t given Leicester a sniff since Matt scored. Lots of managers, in these situations, like to take a game in 10-minute stages. Hitting the 20-minute mark in front would be a big plus.
13 min: Morgan won’t want to see that again. He was absolutely murdered for the goal by Matt, a journeyman lower-league striker. Credit to Willmott’s excellent delivery, though.
12 min: The shock is on! Now the next little spell of 10 or 15 minutes is crucial for Newport.
Goal! Newport 1-0 Leicester (Matt 10)
Here we go! Willmott receives possession just inside the Leicester half and, for the second time in the game, makes ground down that right flank. He takes it to the edge of the Leicester box and then whips in a delicious ball for Matt, who outjumps Wes Morgan and plants a header in off the post!
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9 min: But they allow Ghezzal to carry the ball inside here and lift a 20-yarder into Day’s arms. Leicester will feel encouraged by the spaces they’ve found early on. Oh – hang on ...
9 min: Last season Newport absolutely rampaged around Spurs in midfield, with a tireless harrying effort led by Joss Labadie. He’s not playing today but they still seem to have plenty of energy here.
6 min: Another save from Day, grabbing a low, fizzing one from Okazaki after a decent lay-off from Ghezzal. Newport won’t want to be allowing shots on target with this regularity.
5 min: Willmott, who from memory caused Spurs issues with his long throws last season, has a good run down the right and sees a low shot blocked. Leicester have had that decent early chance but the hosts look willing and able to play.
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4 min: A big early save from Day! Newport defend unconvincingly and Ghezzal, at an angle on the right, looks for the far corner. The keeper deflects it around the near post, and Newport just about survive the subsequent flag kick.
2 min: A nice early turn by Semenyo earns applause and suggests Newport have a little flair on show. Apart from that it’s been pinging from front to back, and then back again, in the first couple of minutes.
Peeeeep! Off we go
Leicester kick off. They’re in white and kicking right to left. The pitch is fairly low-lit and retains its rugby markings, as usual. It doesn’t look comfortable for a Premier League side.
Out come the teams – Rodney Parade is vibrant!
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And another shock here – Paul Doyle watched Oldham win 2-1 at Fulham!
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David Hytner was at Woking 0-2 Watford – and you can see what he thought here:
Claude Puel: “We have an experienced team and I think we will need that for this game. The pitch, the opposition, the opponent ... we know it’s the FA Cup and it will be difficult.”
Newport give a senior debut to 19-year-old left-back Vashon Neufville, who only joined on loan from West Ham two days ago. And they have an 18-year-old up front in the form of Bristol City loanee Antoine Semenyo.
In last year’s third round, of course, Newport beat Leeds here to set up that Spurs tie. Their very impressive manager, Mike Flynn, knows how to get his side going for these. Anything could happen this afternoon.
There was no cup shock at the Etihad. Unless you’re surprised that Man City put seven past Rotherham. Jamie Jackson was there to take it in his stride:
We have a cup shock already today! Conference side Barnet have done the unthinkable and won at Championship promotion chasers Sheffield United! Even better, we had Ben Fisher there to bring you the report:
That’s seven changes for Leicester from the side that won at Everton but it’s still a Team That Should Be Able To Win The Game. The likes of James Maddison and Demarai Gray are on the bench just in case, but Jamie Vardy gets a rest.
Team news
Newport: Day, Forbes, Franks, Bennett, Demetriou, Willmott, Neufville, Dolan, Matt, Amond, Semenyo. Subs: Townsend, Pipe, Bakinson, Marsh-Brown, Sheehan, Foulston, O’Brien.
Leicester: Ward, Simpson, Morgan, Evans, Fuchs, Albrighton, Choudhury, James, Ghezzal, Okazaki, Iheanacho. Subs: Jakupovic, Soyuncu, Gray, Maddison, Ricardo, Mendy, King.
Afternoon
This one brims with cup romance! Welcome to Newport, 13th in League Two, against Premier League, errrm, best-of-the-rest contenders Leicester and if you think it’s a done deal at the outset then think on.
Perhaps cast your mind back, instead, to last season’s fourth round when only a late Harry Kane goal salvaged a draw for Tottenham at Rodney Parade. I was lucky enough to cover that one from the stadium and it was everything you’d want from a cup game: rickety old stands, a sketchy pitch, a crackling January night and a raw, visceral atmosphere. There is something old-world about this venue and Leicester will feel it when they step out.
Newport started the season well but have tailed off a little. Their last two home games were a 4-1 defeat to Forest Green and a goalless draw with Crawley. But all that goes out of the window now, it really does. In Padraig Amond they have a canny forward who scored their goal against Spurs last year – you wouldn’t confidently say that a repeat is impossible and I, for one, am looking forward to seeing Newport try.
Drop me a line with your thoughts, predictions, hopes and dreams. Maybe you were at that game last year? Kick-off is at 4.30pm UK time!
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