Progressing to the next round is hardly Silva lining for Marco
JOSH BROWNHILL took mercy on those dreading this dire contest might be heading for a replay.
Just when we were all starting to fear the very worst in that respect, the Bristol City midfielder produced a rare moment of class to drill home a fine 72nd-minute winner. It flew in at the near post and suddenly the Robins faithful were celebrating a rare FA Cup upset in these parts.
And Brownhill’s much-needed intervention brought inevitable chants of, ‘You’re getting sacked in the morning’, aimed at beleaguered Huddersfield boss David Wagner. If the under-fire German boss survives the chop after this desperate defeat and display, then he really has got the safest job in the country. This thirdround exit means his Terriers have now lost competitions.
No wonder, the Yorkshire club are sitting rock bottom of the Premier League.
Of all the ties over the weekend, this one had ‘potential giant-killing’ stamped all over it. If, that is, you can consider this result a genuine shock.
For while Wagner’s flops have been in freefall for months, Lee Johnson’s Robins have been in fine form of late.
It is now nine games unbeaten for the play-off hopefuls, who are scarcely renowned for beating top-flight opposition in this competition.
Indeed, before last night the West Country side’s last major victims in the FA Cup were Liverpool way back in 1994.
Johnson made only four changes to the line-up that had won at Stoke in their first outing of 2019.
Which was four fewer than the heavily shuffled Terriers.
If we needed evidence how seriously Wagner was taking the cup, his selection provided it.
At least those hardy travelling fans who made the trip from Yorkshire did get a first glimpse of new signing Jason Puncheon. And the on-loan Crystal on the bounce in all Palace playmaker looked rather rusty when his poor 19th-minute corner led to City launching the night’s first attack.
However, in keeping with a grim opening, striker Famara Diedhiou’s weak effort deflected wide.
The best chance of the half was Callum O’Dowda’s 35th-minute header that hit the bar – and the same City man was only inches away with a 30-yard piledriver soon after.
All of which brought a response from Huddersfield three minutes before the break. Erik Durm’s cross asked too much of striker Laurent Depoitre, though, who at full stretch stabbed over.
Depoitre was hooked at the break, along with the equally lethargic Juninho Bacuna.
And the latter’s replacement, Alex Pritchard was unlucky not to win a penalty two minutes after the restart when sent tumbling in the box.
Shame – because, crikey, did the evening need a goal to spark it into life.
Instead, things drifted aimlessly – rather like the strikes midway through the period from Chris Lowe and Jonathan Hogg. Cue Brownhill to show everyone how it should be done. Phew!