But Anfield tie is still a dream trip for Shrews

WheN Sam Ricketts arrived at the ground, the Shrewsbury manager was aware of Fulham’s 4-0 beating at Manchester City and before kick-off he was told Tranmere had been thrashed on their own ground by Manchester United. ‘I thought, “There have been no upsets in the FA Cup, we had best try something”,’ he said. They did more than try. Shrewsbury nearly pulled off something astonishing. had Shaun Whalley taken one of his two great chances, had Donald Love not suffered the wanton cruelty of scoring in his own net, this game would have written itself into the FA Cup’s history. ‘This is a dream come true,’ said Jason Cummings, who scored twice to overturn Liverpool’s twogoal lead. Right at the death, there was a header at the back post that would have given Shrewsbury’s players and supporters the victory of their lives if it had been converted. his reward was a shirt belonging to Mo Salah, one of the players Jurgen Klopp threw on as embarrassment loomed. Cummings had not started a game for Shrewsbury since Mansfield were beaten in a very different FA Cup tie in November. For those who wonder what the competition can still do, here was the evidence. In the BBC commentary box, Ian Wright had tipped Cummings, who won the Scottish Cup with hibernian, to come on and score. ‘Ian Wright knows his stuff,’ said Cummings. ‘I called every week when he was on I’m a Celebrity to get him into the final. We are playing the best team in the world and I know it wasn’t their first team but we don’t mind. We are going to Anfield.’ Delighted manager Ricketts said: ‘We’ve had the better chances. It’s what the FA Cup is about, a club like ours holding them to 2-2.’