FA Cup fourth round replays review: Newport County beat Middlesbrough to set up Man City meeting
A review of Tuesday's fourth round replays...
FA Cup results
- Brentford 3-1 Barnet
- Newport County 2-0 Middlesbrough
- Queens Park Rangers 2-0 Portsmouth
- Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-2 Shrewsbury
Newport at it again
Newport set up an FA Cup money-spinner against Manchester City by upsetting Middlesbrough 2-0 in their fourth-round replay.
Robbie Willmott and Padraig Amond were the heroes as Sky Bet League Two minnows County - the lowest-ranked side in the last 16 - bridged a gap of 57 places between them and Championship side Middlesbrough on the league ladder.
It was a thoroughly miserable evening for Tony Pulis, who was brought up just a few miles away from Rodney Parade.
But the Boro boss can have no complaints as his side were second best in every department in joining a recent list of Rodney Parade cup casualties that also includes Leeds and Leicester.
Pep Guardiola's side will provide far sterner opponents on February 16, but even the Premier League champions will not welcome the tight confines of this ground and the fervent atmosphere that comes with it.
County's passage to the fifth round for only the second time - the previous occasion was in the 1948/49 season - was confirmed by two second-half goals.
Winger Willmott, having run Boro ragged in wide areas in the first half, opened the scoring two minutes after the break when he advanced 30 yards unchecked through the middle before dispatching a fine finish.
The scorer turned provider midway through the half with a superb move straight off the training ground.
Amond darted away from his marker to reach Willmott's corner at the near post and the clever movement was matched with a ferocious finish inside Dimi Konstantopoulos' near post.
Pulis turned to his bench quickly to make three substitutions but Boro huffed and puffed after County sealed matters with Amond, who had scored the winner in the previous round against Leicester, showing his goal knack again.
Exiles boss Michael Flynn thinks Newport will make £1million from this cup run, with more TV money against City to come.
But, for now, it is all about the glory and County fans were celebrating one of the club's most memorable nights wildly at the final whistle.
Full-time whistle goes at Rodney Parade ⏱️
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) February 5, 2019
Newport players celebrate their win over Middlesbrough to book Man City meeting 🙆♂️
Goalkeeper Joe Day couldn't celebrate...he ran down the tunnel after his wife went into labour during the game 👏 #FACup #NEWMID pic.twitter.com/KgNNZoAIAK
Shrews out but feature in another thriller
Ivan Cavaleiro spared Wolves' blushes after firing them into the FA Cup fifth round to break Shrewsbury's hearts.
The forward struck to beat the battling Shrews 3-2 and settle an absorbing replay at Molineux.
James Bolton's header and Josh Laurent's strike, after John Ruddy's error, had put the Sky Bet League One side 2-1 ahead.
Matt Doherty continued to taunt Shrewsbury, though, scoring twice in the first half having netted a late equaliser in the first fourth round tie.
Separated by 60 places, the visitors again threatened an upset having led 2-0 at New Meadow before the 2-2 draw last month.
But Cavaleiro's fourth goal of the season booked Wolves a trip to Bristol City, just the second time they have reached the fifth round in the last 10 seasons.
Brentford set up Swansea trip after winning battle of the Bees
Barnet's FA Cup adventure came to an end as Brentford won the second instalment of the battle of the Bees 3-1.
There was to be no repeat of the drama of the original tie eight days earlier. Goals from Sergi Canos, Julian Jeanvier and Neal Maupay sent the last non-league club in the competition packing as Brentford booked a trip to Championship rivals Swansea in round five.
Hoops to host Watford after Pompey win
Second-half strikes from Nahki Wells and Matt Smith proved the difference as QPR made it through to the fifth round of the FA Cup for the first time in 22 years with a 2-0 win at the expense of Portsmouth at Loftus Road.
In a quiet first period, Darnell Furlong's header against the bar from Luke Freeman's centre was the pick of the chances.
Extra-time looked a distinct possibility heading into the break, but the hosts' top-scorer Wells broke the deadlock with 20 minutes left, capitalising on chaos at a corner to bundle in from a yard out.
The result was then made safe seven minutes later as the talismanic Freeman delivered a sumptuous free-kick which Smith gleefully powered home to set up a home tie against Watford on February 15.
👏 Marching on in the @EmiratesFACup! #QPRPOR pic.twitter.com/3yHYAPrJUj
— QPR FC (@QPR) February 5, 2019
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