Match report: Oxford United 2-3 Newcastle United (aet)
A superb individual goal from Allan Saint-Maximin helped Newcastle edge past Oxford in extra time, despite a stirring comeback from the League One side, writes Ed Aarons.
Match report: Liverpool 1-0 Shrewsbury Town
Shrewsbury defender Ro-Shaun Williams headed into his own net late on to hand Liverpool’s youngsters a merited victory, writes Andy Hunter.
Allan Saint-Maximin speaks: “I’m happy to score this goal as it’s really important for my team,” he says of his winner, before going on to praise Oxford’s heroic effort. “Oxford are a really good team and they tried to keep going and at 2-2 it became a more difficult game for us,” he says. “But we keep going and we win 3-2, so I’m really happy.”
Sean Longstaff speaks: “It was a massive result,” says Newcastle’s man of the match, in an interview with the BBC. “When it went 2-2, I think everybody in the stadium and watching at home expected us to crumble but it just shows what a great spirit we’ve got in the dressing room.
He adds: “We want to take the cup really seriously and we’ve got to come to places like this where it’s tough. We’ve had a great response and we’re really happy to get through.”
FA Cup fifth round draw ...
- Sheffield Wednesday v Manchester City
- Reading v Sheffield United
- Chelsea v Liverpool
- West Brom v Newcastle
- Leicester City v Birmingham
- Derby County v Manchester United
- Southampton or Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City
- Portsmouth v Arsenal
Elsewhere in the FA Cup ...
Birmingham City have beaten Coventry on penalties, while Reading also needed spot-kicks to advance at the expense of Cardiff City. Derby County were 4-2 winners over Northampton Town, while the whey-faced kiddies of Liverpool did their absent manager Jurgen Klopp proud by beating Shrewsbury Town in front of a full house at Anfield.
Full-time: Oxford United 2-3 Newcastle (aet)
Newcastle are through. They’ll play West Brom at the Hawthorns in the next round. Sean Longstaff and Joelinton gave Newcastle a 2-0 half-time lead, before Liam Kelly and Nathan Holland turned things around for Oxford United in the final six minutes of normal time. With just four minutes of extra time remaining, Allain Saint-Maximin settled proceedings for Newcastle with a one of five excellently taken goals scored by players from both sides tonight.
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ET30+1: Oxford, who cannot be faulted for effort, win a throw-in deep in Newcastle territory. Sam Long hurls the ball into the box ... but it’s all over. Newcastle win, courtesy of a fine goal in the second half of extra time from Alain Saint-Maximin.
ET30: We’re in the final minute of extra time, with Newcastle on the verge of advancing to the fifth round of the FA Cup for the first time in 15 years.
ET29: Karl Darlow is quick off his line and first to the ball as Sam Long tries to play Taylor through on goal.
ET28: Matty Taylor sends the ball flashing across the edge of the Newcastle six-yard box, but it’s too far ahead of Dan Agyei for the substitute to poke it home at the far post.
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GOAL! Oxford United 2-3 Newcastle (Saint-Maximin)
Newcastle retake the lead! And it’s a wonderful goal from Allan Saint-Maximin, who sends the ball screaming into the top corner from the edge of the penalty area after cutting inside from the left, skipping past two or three Oxford players in the process.
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ET26: Isaac Hayden has a shot from the edge of the penalty area blocked by Thorne, a few feet in front of him.
ET24: Woeful from Christian Atsu, who eschews the chance to shoot from the edge of the area, in favour of passing to DeAndre Yedlin a little in front of him to the right. Unfortunately for Newcastle, his pass is dreadful and rolls a few feet behind the wing-back.
ET22: Oxford win a throw-in deep in Newcastle territory. Long chucks the ball to Dan Agyei, who struggles to turn with Newcastle’s defenders tight on his back.
ET20: Mark Sykes tries a shot from the edge of the Newcastle penalty area, but his effort is blocked by Ciaran Clark. Moments later, Allan Saint-Maximin cuts inside from the left and forces a good save out of Simon Eastwood at his near post. End to end stuff, as they say.
ET18: Reading have knocked Cardiff out of the FA Cup on penalties and will play Sheffield United in the next round. Birmingham City and Coventry are currently engaged in a shoot-out at St Andrew’s.
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ET17: Matty Longstaff sends a shot from distance fizzing about a foot over the bar. Close, but no cigar.
Second half of extra time: Oxford United 2-2 Newcastle United
ET16: Newcastle get second half of extra time going, with 15 minutes left for either team to find a winner, or else we’ll have penalties. Christian Atsu has a shot from distance blocked and deflected out for a corner by Sam Long.
Half-time in extra time: Oxford 2-2 Newcastle
Peep: Referee Peter Bankes signals for the players to change ends after a short break.
ET15+1: Christian Atsu fires high over the cross-bar from the right side of the Oxford penalty area.
ET15: Saint-Maximin twists and turns on the edge of the Oxford penalty area, wriggles into space and brings a good save out of Simon Eastwood, who narrows the angle at the near post.
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ET14: Karl Robinson follows suit, replacing an exhausted looking Cameron Brannigan with George Thorne.
ET12: Steve Bruce certainly is aware that he’s allowed make a fourth substitution: Christian Atsu replaces Nabil Bentaleb. Meanwhile in south Wales, it’s Cardiff City 3-3 Reading as they approach the end of extra time.
ET12: Ciaran Clark hacks clear under pressure from Josh Ruffels down the left touchline.
ET11: Energised by their late equaliser, Oxford United look the more likely winners at the moment. They’re dominating this opening period of extra time.
ET8: Should they wish to do so, both teams can make a fourth substitution in this period of extra time, on top of the three they’ve both made already. Serious question: I wonder if both managers are aware of this?
ET6: Liam Kelly takes the free-kick, but fires over the bar this time. Newcastle substitution: ciaran Kelly on for Florian Lejeune.
ET4: Florian Lejeune is bundled over on the edge of the penalty area and wins a free-kick a few yards to the right of the D. Lejeune is booked for his troubles. Liam Kelly and Matty Taylor are standing over the ball.
ET3: Oxford goalkeeper Simon Eastwood saves well from Allan Saint-Maximin as the Frenchman tries his luck with a rasping drive from the edge of the penalty area at the end of a blistering counter-attack.
Oxford United 2-2 Newcastle - extra time
ET1: The impetus is with Oxford and they begin extra time in the ascendency. A vicious cross from the left prompts all sorts of panic in the Newcastle defensive ranks, but Dan Agyei is unable to convert after Karl Darlow spills the ball. Newcastle scramble the ball clear but are in a real dither.
Elsewhere in the FA Cup: Liverpool have beaten Shrewsbury Town to set up a fifth round tie against Chelsea. At the Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff lead Reading 3-2 in the second half of extra time. Derby have beaten Northampton 4-2 and will play Manchester United in the next round. It remains 1-1 between Birmingham City and Coventry City as they play extra time.
Full-time: Oxford United 2-2 Newcastle
We’re going to extra-time! Oxford won a free-kick at the death, just inside the Newcastle half. With Oxford goalkeeper Simon Eastwood up in the Newcastle penalty area, Liam Kelly lumped the ball into the penalty area. It was cleared, but only as far as Nathan Holland on the edge of the area and he curled a delicious volley inside the far post. Oxford were down and out, but have kept themselves in this game with two wonderful goals.
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GOAL! Oxford United 2-2 Newcastle United (Holland 90+4)
Oxford equalise!!! Nathan Holland snatches a late, late leveller with a fine side-footed volley from the edge of the penalty area.
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90+3 min: A Josh Ruffels cross from the left is deflected into the warm embrace of Karl Darlow, who clutches the ball to his chest.
90+1 min: Josh Ruffels fires over the bar with his right foot after being teed up by a pull-back from the left. That was a good chance!
90 min: Newcastle substitution: Isaac Hayden on for Miguel Almiron.
89 min: Sean Longstaff misses a sitter, pulling the ball wide of the upright from 10 yards with the goal at his mercy after being teed up by a Saint-Maiximin pull-back from the by-line.
88 min: Already on a yellow card, Kelly is penalised for a late challenge on Almiron. He avoids a second booking and the red card that would accompany it.
86 min: That was a fine free-kick from Kelly, who got the ball over the wall and past Karl Darlow - the Newcastle goalkeeper got a hand to the free-kick but was powerless to keep it from creeping inside the right upright.
85 min: Almiron finds himself through on goal but shoots straight at Eastwood while trying to find the bottom left-hand corner.
GOAL! Oxford United 1-2 Newcastle (Kelly 84)
A Matt Ritchie foul on Agyei gives Oxford a free-kick about 25 yards from goal, a little right of centre. Liam Kelly gets it up over the wall and down and scores!!!
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82 min: Saint-Maximin fails to pick out Almiron in space after Newcastle attacked on the break following a period of sustained pressure from Oxford. He has plenty of tricks in his locker, but the accuracy of Saint-Maximin’s passing is questionable to say the least.
80 min: Birmingham have got a late equaliser against Coventry and it looks like there’ll be extra time in that game. At Pride Park, Derby have beaten Northampton Town 4-2, while Cardiff City and Reading are playing extra time in the Welsh capital after their game finished 2-2 after 90 minutes.
79 min: Oxford win a corner after Lascelles heads over his own bar from a free-kick. The Newcastle defender, who has been excellent at the back tonight, heads the subsequent corner clear.
78 min: A low Nathan Holland drive from the edge of the Newcastle penalty area is blocked.
76 min: Liam Kelly is booked for a late challenge on Sean Longstaff. Free-kick for Newcastle, a long way out. Josh Ruffels heads clear under pressure from Lascelles, winning a free-kick in the process.
76 min: That’s Shrewsbury’s Ro-Shaun Williams, I hasten to add, who has just headed into his own net in front of the Kop.
74 min: Matt Ritchie’s delivery is cleared. Meanwhile at Anfield, Ro-Shaun Williams has put Liverpool ahead against Shrewsbury Town with 15 minutes to go.
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73 min: Newcastle win a corner and the ball’s sent into the penalty area. Florian Lejeune’s header is deflected out for another corner.
72 min: Oxford substitution: midfielder Alex Rodriguez is replaced by striker Dan Agyei.
71 min: Eastwood miscontrols a backpass and almost lets Almiron in to score. The Oxford goalkeeper gets away with his mistake.
70 min: Attempting to put a cross out of play for a corner, Sam Long stoops, heads it and brings a smart save out of his own goalkeeper Simon Eastwood.
68 min: DeAndre Yedlin wins a free-kick for Newcastle halfway inside the Oxford half, drawing a foul from Josh Ruffels. Nothing comes from the set-piece, with Newcastle content just to retain possession, rather than float the ball into the mixer.
67 min: Nabil Bentaleb twists the blood of Matty Taylor with a nice little drag-back and pirouette that leaves the substitute utterly bamboozled.
65 min: Oxford continue to press forward, trying to pull back a goal but are kept at arms length by some well organised Newcastle defending.
63 min: Newcastle owner Mike Ashley is in attendance at the Kassam Stadium tonight and is currently being serenaded by Newcastle’s fans, who use the medium of song laced with profanity to comment on his weight and invite him to leave their club.
61 min: Oxford substitution: Marcus Browne goes off injured after a surprisingly quiet night at the office. He is replaced by Liam Kelly, an Irish international who is on loan from Feyenoord.
60 min: It’s Cardiff City 2-2 Reading, with the Royals having turned around a tow-goal deficit. Meanwhile at Pride Park, it’s Derby County 4-1 Northampton Town. Coventry still lead Birmingham City by the only goal of their replay.
60 min: Oxford substitution: Matty Taylor on for Jamie Mackie.
59 min: It’s as you were at Anfield, where the curtain-twitching killjoys at Stockley Park have ruled out Shrewsbury’s goal.
57 min: Jamie Mackie brings a smart save out of Karl Darlow, getting in front of Lascelles and trying to flick a cross from the left home with a back-heel.
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56 min: Almiron picks up the ball wide on the left and is booed by Oxford’s supporters, who think he took a dive looking for a penalty a few moments ago. Meanwhile at Anfield, the children of Liverpool have gone behind to Shrewsbury.
54 min: Mark Sykes picks up the ball on the edge of the Newcastle penalty area, right-hand side. He twists and shimmies, but runs into a three-man cul de sac of players in black and white.
53 min: Newcastle remain in the ascendency, but Oxford have the ball and are trying to work it forward. Sam Long’s cross from the right looks to be dropping nicely for Jamie Mackie on the edge of the six-yard box, but the veteran is penalised for a blatant shove in the back of Jamaal Lascelles.
50 min: Saint-Maximin and Almiron link up down the left touchline, as Newcastle ping the ball around crisply. Moments later, Almiron goes down in the penalty area after a “coming together” with Sam Long. Newcastle’s fans and players appeal for a penalty, but none is forthcoming. It looked like an accidental collision to me.
48 min: Almiron picks out Ritchie with a wonderful cross-field pass. He links up with Saint-Maximin before drilling in a cross. Elliott Moore clears for Oxford.
47 min: Not so clever from Saint-Maximin, who volleys an attempted pass out of play.
47 min: Allan Saint-Maximin picks out Matt Ritchie on the inside left channel with a fine cross-field pass. Ritchie’s low drive towards goal takes a massive deflection and Oxford clear their lines.
Second half: Oxford United 0-2 Newcastle United
46 min: Newcastle kick off, attempting to make it into the fifth round of the FA Cup for the first time since 2006.
More goals ...
It’s Cardiff City 2-0 Reading just after the hour at the Cardiff City Stadium. At St Andrew’s, Coventry City lead their landlords Birmingham City 1-0 just before the hour mark.
Elsewhere in the FA Cup
It’s early in the second halves of tonight’s 7.45pm kick-offs, while Liverpool’s game against Shrewsbury kicked off late due to traffic congestion. It’s half-time at Anfield.
- Birmingham City 0-0 Coventry
- Cardiff City 1-0 Reading
- Derby County 3-1 Northampton Town
- Liverpool 0-0 Shrewsbury Town
Half-time: Oxford United 0-2 Newcastle United
Peep! The teams amble in for the interval, with Newcastle leading by two goals. Sean Longstaff scored the first and it was a beauty from distance. Joelinton doubled their lead with a nice finish after being put through by a defence splitting long ball from Longstaff. Oxford have worked their way back into the game and have had two good chances. There are grounds for optimism, but they have a mountain to climb.
45+1 min: Sean Longstaff crumples to the ground after injuring his instep after being caught by the studs of Mark Sykes on his follow-through after booting the ball. Sykes is booked for his trouble.
45 min: Newcastle midfielder Nabil Bentaleb is booked for leading with his arm in a challenge on Mark Sykes. From a good position to get the ball in the box, Rodriguez’s free-kick is diabolically bad.
44 min: Oxford attack on the break, with Cameron Brannigan on the ball down the left flank. He plays the ball to Browne, who shoots from distance. His surface to air screamer is blocked by the chest of Jamaal Lascelles.
43 min: With options to his left and right, Cameron Brannigan shoots high over the Newcastle bar from distance, before turning away from goal with his head in his hands.
42 min: Matt Ritchie sends a cross into the Oxford box from the left after being picked out by Miguel Almiron. His delivery is hacked clear.
40 min: Josh Ruffels contests a high ball with DeAndre Yedlin, who leads with his elbow. Ruffels complains to the referee after getting whacked on the side of the head, but doesn’t get a free-kick.
38 min: Allan St Maximin has finally got his shin pads on and graced the field with his presence.
37 min: A let-off for Newcastle, as Oxford go close again. A Jamie Mackie shot is deflected over the bar and on to the roof of the net off one of his own team-mates.
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35 min: Still suffering form his hip injury, Joelinton hobbles off. Allan St Maximin is supposed to be replacing him, but doesn’t appear to be ready. Newcastle are down to 10 men for the time being.
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33 min: Oxford manager Karl Robinson was booked for protesting in the aftermath of Newcastle’s second goal, having claimed - in the strongest possible terms - that Miguel Almiron had fouled Marcus Browne in the build-up to Joelinton’s goal. Replays suggest he might have had a point, although there’s no VAR tonight as the game is not being played in a Premier League game.
31 min: Oxford go close, twice in quick succession. Karl Darlow saves well from Jamie Mackie, before Jamaal Lascelles clears off the line from Marcus Browne.
GOAL! Oxford United 0-2 Newcastle (Joelinton 29)
Newcastle double their lead! Joelinton latches on to a long Sean Longstaff ball from deep, beats Rob Dickie for pace and calmly slots the ball past Simon Eastwood into the bottom right-hand corner. It’s an excellent finish, not least because he’s clearly still suffering from that hip injury he picked up earlier.
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27 min: Matty Longstaff catches Mark Sykes late as the pair contest a 50-50 ball and both players go down injured. Sykes is quickly back on his feet, followed soon after by Longstaff. Free-kick for Oxford, wide on the right a long way out. Marcus Browne curls the ball towards the edge of the penalty area, where Sean Longstaff clears with a header.
25 min: Marcus Browne does well to keep the ball in play and swing in a first-time cross from the right. The ball’s headed out for a corner by Yedlin. Newcastle eventually clear the ensuing in-swinger with a long clearance from Sean Longstaff.
24 min: Joelinton appears fit to continue, for the time being at least.
23 min: Joelinton goes to ground nursing his left hip and there’s a break in play so he can receive treatment.
21 min: Mackie fouls Bentaleb near the halfway line and Newcastle have a free-kick. They play the ball back to Fabian Shar in the right-back position and he boots it forward.
18 min: It was a wonderful strike from Sean Longstaff, who picked up a pass from Joelinton on the edge of the penalty area. With six Oxford players in front of him but none willing to close him down, he settles himself and gets his cross-haired aligned before arrowing the ball past SImon Eastwood, high into the net.
16 min: Joelinton misses a sitter after his team had attacked on the counter. From the edge of the six yard box at the far post, he somehow contrives to stab a wonderful pass from Nabil Bentaleb wide. Now, back to that opening goal ...
GOAL! Oxford United 0-1 Newcastle (Sean Longstaff 15)
Newcastle take the lead! And it’s Sean Longstaff who has opened the scoring with a fine strike from distance.
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15 min: Miguel Almiron robs Alex Rodriguez of possession and drives forward. He plays the ball to RItchie down the left flank, who passes to Bentaleb. He loses it.
13 min: Joelinton loses possession to Ruffels in midfield as he tries to dribble past him. Much maligned by a large number of Newcastle fans, that sort of sloppiness is unlikely to get him back in their good books.
12 min: Marcus Browne charges down an attempted clearance by Florian Lejeune, to no avail. The ball goes out for a goal kick.
11 min: Newcastle win a free-kick just inside the Oxford half, near the technical areas. The ball’s played to Lascelles, who sends it long towards the corner and out of play for a goal kick. Tut-tut.
10 min: Matt Ritchie sends the corner towards the far post, where Ruffels rises highest and heads clear.
9 min: Almiron finds Sean Longstaff in a pocket of space with a cushioned header, prompting applause from the 1,800 Newcastle fans who have made the long journey to Oxford tonight. Newcastle are in the ascendency, but have yet to create any chances of note. They win a corner.
8 min: Mark Sykes is fouled near the halway line, giving Oxford United another free-kick. Nothing comes of it.
6 min: Darlow plays the ball out from the back under pressure from Jamie Mackie and Newcastle make their way up the pitch courtesy of the brothers Longstaff and DeAndre Yedlin. Josh Ruffels intervenes.
5 min: Jamaal Lascelles commits a foul, allowing Oxford a chance to get the ball into the Newcastle box. Sam Long sends the ball towards the left side of the penalty area and it goes out for a Newcastle throw-in moments later.
3 min: Matt Ritchie gets the ball into the box from the inside left channel and it’s only half cleared. The ball comes back Ritchie’s way, but he’s flagged for offside.
2 min: Another long clearance from Darlow is met by the head of Oxford left-back Josh Ruffels. Newcastle are going for the rather direct approach in these early stages.
1 min: Karl Darlow gets an early touch in the Newcastle goal, kicking the ball long. Elliot Moore heads the ball clear at the back for Oxford.
Oxford United v Newcastle United is go ...
1 min: Oxford United get the ball rolling at the signal of referee Peter Bankes, Jamie Mackie taking the first touch of the game.
Not long now: It’s a full house at the 12,400-capacity Kassam Stadium and the teams receive a raucous reception as they march out on to the pitch. The players of Oxford wear yellow shirts, black shorts and yellow socks. Their visitors wear their customary kit of black and white stripes, black shorts and black socks.
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Oxford’s unique ground: The Kassam Stadium stadium has just three seated stands and one open one with a car park and leisure complex behind it. Ahead of the game, Karl Robinson said he hoped the layout of the arena would put Newcastle’s players off their stride.
“I always say with this place that those three stands don’t half throw people when they first come here,” he said. “They won’t be used to anything like this and we’re hoping it works in our favour.” So far so good, if the Northern Echo’s Scott Wilson is to be believed.
Bad news - warm-up routine - Joelinton six yards out - side-footed shot over the bar and onto a car bonnet. No word of a lie... #NUFC https://t.co/olCgs8uRTM
— Scott Wilson (@Scottwilsonecho) February 4, 2020
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Steve Bruce speaks: In an interview with the BBC, Newcastle’s manager has said he wantshis side to go all out in their attempts to win the FA Cup this season.
“With injuries we’ve got no real choice [in who we select],” he said. “We’ve gone as strong as we can do and we want to reach the next round. I’ve managed in a cup final. When you look back it’s a great occasion and a great day. We’re not going to win the Premier League – we’re not going to catch Liverpool so why not have a crack?”
Oxford United v Newcastle United line-ups ...
Oxford United: Eastwood, Long, Dickie, Moore, Ruffels, Sykes, Rodriguez, Brannagan, Browne, Mackie, Holland.
Subs: Stevens, Hanson, Mousinho, Kelly, Thorne, Agyei, Taylor.
Newcastle United: Darlow, Schar, Lascelles, Lejeune, Yedlin, Ritchie, Bentaleb, Matty Longstaff, Sean Longstaff, Almiron, Joelinton.
Subs: Elliot, Clark, Saint-Maximin, Hayden, Fernandez, Atsu, Allan.
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In the event of a draw tonight: If neither side wins in 90 minutes tonight, we’ll have 30 minutes of extra time followed by penalties, if required. While the League Cup and EFL Trophy have done away with extra time, it is still played in the FA Cup.
Should the game go to extra time, each team will be allowed to use one additional substitute, should they wish to do so, in addition to the three already permitted.
Early team news
Oxford manager Karl Robinson has had to plan without his top scorer James Henry, after the winger injured his thigh at the weekend. Midfielders Ben Woodburn (broken foot) and Anthony Forde (broken ribs and a punctured lung) are also out. Having sold Shandon Baptiste to Brentford during the January window, Oxford will also be without the player who scored a stunning solo goal against Hartlepool in the third round. Tariqe Fosu was also sold to Brentford.
Dwight Gayle, Paul Dummett, Andy Carroll and Jetro Williams are all sidelined with injury for Newcastle, while Jonjo Shelvey is also unlikely to start. New signings Valentino Lazaro and Danny Rose are ineligible to play tonight as neither was registered in time.
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FA Cup fourth round replay: Oxford v Newcastle
Following their scoreless draw at St James’ Park, Oxford United and Newcastle United reconvene at the Kassam Stadium to see who will get to take on West Brom at the Hawthorns in the fifth round. Newcastle have not advanced beyond this stage of the competition in 14 years but are favourites to do so tonight, even if they have rather ridden their luck in going unbeaten in their past seven games.
They were a distant second best when Oxford travelled to the north-east and had goalkeeper Karl Darlow to thank for keeping them in the tie, a state of affairs that will give their League One hosts plenty of grounds for optimism. Kick-off is at 8.05pm (GMT), but stay tuned in the meantime for team news and build-up.
