MAX POWER SAVES TOON
Saint strike extra special for Bruce
WHO says the FA Cup doesn’t matter anymore? Oxford produced one of the most memorable nights of this season’s competition by fighting back from two goals down only to be denied by Allan Saint- Maximin’s sensational winner.
Goals from Sean Longstaff and Joelinton in the first half-hour looked to have given Newcastle safe passage to a fifth-round tie with West Bromwich Albion — only for substitute Liam Kelly and Nathan Holland to take the tie into an extra half-hour.
With penalties looming, SaintMaximin, a first-half substitute for Joelinton, thundered the ball home from the edge of the box before celebrating extravagantly with the Geordie fans.
With the competition under attack like never before from the game’s elite, here was a tie to cherish. After the 0-0 draw in the first game, Oxford boss Karl Robinson said he would have preferred not to have had a replay. Had he had his wish, his club’s supporters would have been denied a thrilling night.
For most of normal time, this was a largely assured Newcastle display. They scored early and had few alarms thereafter. Yet Robinson’s substitutes, particularly Dan Agyei, altered the rhythm of the match and after Kelly had reduced the arrears with a precise freekick, it was no surprise when Holland equalised with a volley in stoppage-time.
Even Alan Shearer was not spared, as the home fans sang ‘Shearer, what’s the score?’ after spotting him in the BBC commentary booth. Yet Saint-Maximin ensured the former England captain would have the last laugh.
Newcastle manager Steve Bruce said: ‘We’ve made hard work of it. I didn’t think we were in any danger at 2-0 but a great free-kick and wonderful volley and all of a sudden it’s game on. Fair play, the players stuck at it and we won with a wonder goal.’
The Longstaff brothers Sean and Matty looked sharp early on. Sean was operating just behind Joelinton and Miguel Almiron and the move paid dividends when the trio combined for the opening goal.
Almiron’s cross from the left was gathered by Joelinton, who laid the ball off to the edge of the area for Longstaff to send it curling beyond Simon Eastwood.
Joelinton doubled his side’s advantage on the half-hour. Rob Dickie was caught flat- footed when Florian Lejeune launched the ball forward, allowing Joelinton to barge his way through and score.
Despite his goal, Joelinton was not moving freely and eight minutes before half- time, he was replaced by Saint-Maximin. Both sides missed good chances in the closing stages of the half. Almiron outpaced the home defence then shot wide, while at the other end Long’s cross picked out Holland but the midfielder’s volley rebounded off Jamie Mackie and behind for a goal-kick.
Oxford, eighth in League One, sought to make a fast start to the second period but when they did threaten, they found Newcastle goalkeeper Karl Darlow in miserly mood. But the home side kept asking the question and when Dan Agyei was brought down by Matt Ritchie outside the area, his fellow substitue Kelly stepped up six minutes from full-time to curl the ball left-footed over the wall and Darlow could not keep it out.
As Oxford pushed for the equaliser, they left gaps at the back, and both Almiron and Sean Longstaff wasted excellent chances to restore the two-goal cushion. And then in stoppage time, Ruffels could have taken the tie to extra time but shot over from 10 yards. That looked like their last chance before Holland brought the house down with a magnificent volley. OXFORD UNITED (4-3-3): Eastwood 7; Long 6.5, Dickie 5, Moore 5.5, Ruffels 6; Sykes 6.5, Gorrin 6 (Agyei 72min, 7.5), Branagan 6.5 (Thorne, 103); Browne 6 (Kelly 62, 7), Mackie 6.5 (Taylor 58, 6) Holland 7. Subs not used: Stevens, Mousinho, Hanson. Scorers: Kelly 84, Holland 90 . Booked: Robinson (manager), Sykes, Kelly. Manager: Karl Robinson 7. NEWCASTLE UNITED Darlow 6.5; Schar 6, Lascelles 6.5, Lejeune 5.5 (Clark, 97) Yedlin 6, M Longstaff 6.5, Bentaleb 5.5 (Atsu, 102), Ritchie 5.5; S LONGSTAFF 7.5; Joelinton 6 (Saint-Maximin 37, 7), Almiron 7 (Hayden, 90). Subs not used: Elliot, Fernandez, Allan. Scorers: S Longstaff 15, Joelinton 30, Saint-Maximin 116. Booked: Bentaleb. Manager: Steve Bruce 6. Referee: Peter Bankes 5.5. Attendance: 11,520.