As Birmingham refuse to lie down
Fabulous Oxford fightback undone by supersub Allan WARD-PROWSE IN RUNNING FOR ENGLAND SAYS RALPH
SUPERSUB Allan SaintMaximin sent Newcastle into the fifth round for the first time in 14 years with a late, late winner to break Oxford hearts.
The Frenchman produced a wonderful piece of skill before a thunderous strike from the edge of the area four minutes from the end of extra-time.
But, strewth, the Toon made hard work of it after going two-up in half an hour, then conceding twice in them last six minutes of normal time.
The Newcastle litany of misery in the FA Cup included defeats Hereford, Stevenage and even Oxford, three years ago when they crashed at the Kassam Stadium 3-0.
This was the first time they had made it beyond the fourth round since 2006, and their reward is a tricky trip to Championship front-runners West Bromwich.
Steve Bruce’s team had won just twice in 10 games before last night – and had not scored in 180 minutes.
By contrast, only two teams in League One injury but it proved the catalyst for his side to get back into the game.
Coventry defender Dominic Hyam needed to make a vital clearance from almost under his own bar in the 24th minute to keep out Jefferson Montero’s hooked effort.
Birmingham continued on the offensive after the restart but it was Coventry who had scored more than Oxford’s 45 goals this season.
They had lost just two out of 18 home games, and Karl Robinson’s side had turfed West Ham out of the Carabao Cup 4-0 at the Kassam.
So Bruce duly fielded a strong side, and it took them only 15 minutes to take the lead.
Miguel Almiron crossed from the left, Joelinton laid the ball back and Sean Longstaff took a touch before lashing the ball high into the net with an excellent strike.
But Joelinton missed a glorious chance to make it two only 90 seconds later, the £40million Brazilian somehow firing over from six yards out.
The Premier League side were moving the ball around well but the second goal came from Oxford’s own free-kick as the outstanding Almiron won the ball, new boy Nabil Bentaleb played it over the defence and Joelinton outpaced Rob Dickie and made no mistake to score his third goal of the season. It was finally made the breakthrough in the 50th minute. ZainWestbrooke played in Amadou Bakayoko down the middle and his shot looped up off keeper Lee Camp into the net.
Coventry then had a great chance to wrap up the win, only for Maxime Biamou to shoot wide.And their his last act of the match as he limped off injured.
Robinson was booked for protesting that there had been a foul in the build-up, but his side hit back straight away as Jamie Mackie shot and Newcastle goalkeeper Karl Darlow pulled off a brilliant stop.
Then Sam Long cracked in a drive that Jamaal Lascelles somehow headed off the line.
But Oxford were back in it six minutes from time as substitute Liam Kelly’s dipping free-kick gave Robinson’s side hope.
Josh Ruffels shot over when he should have done better but, in the 94th minute, Newcastle failed to clear a free-kick, the ball fell to Nathan Holland on the edge of the area – and the Oxford winger lashed a superb volley into the far corner.
OXFORD: (4-3-3): Eastwood 6; Long 7, Dickie 6, Moore 6, Ruffles 6; Sykes 7, Gorrin 6 (Agyei 72, 6), Branagan 6 (Thorne 103); Holland 7, Mackie 7 (Taylor 58, 6), Brown 6 (Kelly 62, 6). Goals: Kelly 84, Holland 90.
NEWCASTLE (3-5-2): Darlow 7; Schar 7, Lascelles 7, Lejeune 7 (Clark 96); Yedlin 7, Bentaleb 7 (Atsu 102), S Longstaff 7, M Longstaff 7, Ritchie 7; Joelinton 7 (Saint-Maximin 37, 6), Almiron 8 (Hayden 90). Goals: S Longstaff 15, Joelinton 30, Saint-Maximin 116. boss Mark Robins, below, was left with his head in his hands when they were punished, as keeper Marko Marosi was beaten in injury-time by Dean’s header from Jacques Maghoma’s cross to set up the added drama. Biamou looked like he had again given Coventry a decisive lead, striking 24 minutes into extra-time, only for Jeremie Bela to send it to a shoot-out.
BIRMINGHAM (4-1-2-3): Camp 6; Harding 6, Roberts 6, Dean 7, Pedersen 7; Sunjic 7; McEachran 5 (Boyd-Munce 18, 6), Maghoma 6 (Gardner 103); Concannon 5 (Bela 56, 6), Bellingham 6 (Jutkiewicz 69, 8), Montero 7. Goals: Dean 90, Bela 120.
COVENTRY (4-3-1-2): Marosi 7; Pask 7, McFadzean 7, Hyam 7, Mason 8; Dabo 7, Kelly 7 (Walsh 105), Shipley 7 (Allen 72, 6); Westbrooke 7 (O’Hare 72, 6); Biamou 6, Bakayoko 7 (Godden 82). Goals: Bakayoko 50, Biamou 114.
RALPH HASENHUTTL hopes Southampton marathon man James Ward-Prowse can force his way into England’s Euro 2020 plans.
Ward-Prowse, right, has played every minute of every Saints game this season, clocking up 45 hours.
Manager Hasenhuttl, whose side travel to Spurs tonight for an FA Cup fourth-round replay, said: “My job is to make my players as good as possible, to give England a chance to pick them.
“Gareth (Southgate) has a very good view on our team because we play with a lot of English players in our squad. Maybe he has him (Ward-Prowse) in mind and will pick him.” Ward-Prowse has scored 11 Premier League goals since Hasenhuttl took charge at St Mary’s – more than under Saints’ six previous managers combined. Hasenhuttl added: “When I came he was good on the ball. Now he is complete, a better package.” Saints know they have a winnable home fifth-round tie with Norwich if they can beat Spurs, but Hasenhuttl has warned his players not to look too far ahead.