Ten-Minute Tempest Wins Third Round tie for Newcastle

Newcastle United 3-1 Luton Town
Perez 30', 36', Shelvey 39'                                            Hylton 49'

 FA Cup Third Round | Saturday 6th January 2018 

In 'The Strawberry' pub which faces the Gallowgate End at St James' Park, the walls illustrate the club's rich history. Signed player portraits hang next to pennants and framed matchday programmes. Across the crowded bar, an elderly gentleman has his own piece of memorabilia. He reveals from his jacket pocket a programme from 'Newcastle United vs Bedford Town' a third round fixture in 1964. Astonishingly, the Southern League outfit triumphed over the Second Division club to record one of the great FA Cup upsets. "Bedford won 2-1 and thoroughly deserved it" the man opines. Returning the good luck charm, a wry smile spreads across the fellow's face, dreaming of victory for another Bedfordshire team in the North East. Only in the FA Cup.

Newcastle won football's oldest competition three times in the fifties but are no longer among football's cognoscenti. In fact, many supporters have felt apathetic towards the club's progress in the tournament in recent years. Conversely, the novelty of watching their team at a top flight stadium enticed seven-and-a-half thousand Luton fans to make the arduous journey to the top tier of the Leazes Stand. 

Two wins and a draw in the last four games had given The Magpies a modicum of breathing space in the Premier League. However, manager Rafael Benitez was in no mood to risk ignominious defeat; making only four changes from the XI who beat Stoke on New Years' Day. Paul Dummett, Mikel Merino, and Dwight Gayle deputised for DeAndre Yedlin, Mohamed Diame and Christian Atsu. Meanwhile Freddie Woodman, who gained an under-20s World Cup winners medal with England last summer, made his Newcastle debut in place of Karl Darlow. In opposition, the visitors made two changes from their 4-2 victory over Lincoln. Pelly Ruddock replaced the suspended Alan Sheehan and Jack Stacey made way for Dan Potts at full-back.

After dominating possession for the opening fifteen minutes the first tangible opportunity arrived for the hosts. Right of centre, Jacob Murphy strode along the eighteen-yard-line and unleashed a left-footed shot. Visiting keeper Mark Stech dived to his right to punch the ball to safety. While the quick feet of Gayle made Newcastle's attacks ever so intricate, Luton too had their forays into goalscoring territory. As a long clearance made its way to Danny Hylton, the forward had a dummy for Paul Dummett; leaving the ball and spinning beyond the home full-back. Breaking down the right, Hylton's cross was just too high for strike partner James Collins.

Half an hour had elapsed when the hosts won a free-kick on the left-flank. Gayle's tame right-footed curler should have been fielded comfortably by Stech but the Czech custodian managed to fumble into the path of Ayoze Perez. Reacting quickest among a crowd of orange shirts, the Spaniard stabbed home from three yards to give Newcastle the lead.

Perez had a seredipitous second only six minutes later. Matt Ritchie's cross first ricocheted off the studs of Potts then Perez stretched awkwardly to flick on. From six yards Gayle headed towards the bottom right corner. Keen to redeem himself, Stech made an outstanding one-handed save, only for Perez to tap in the rebound to the delight of those in the lower two tiers of the grandiose St James' Park.

Despite the scoreline the Hatters had competed admirably. Comfortable in possession, they were determined to play through the thirds. However, without ball-playing centre-half Alan Sheehan, midfielder Glen Rea had retreated into the backline, and Luton's play continued to break down with the capricious Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu. The West Ham youth product's sloppy pass towards Collins was intercepted by Isaac Hayden. Gayle retrieved the loose ball and Perez galloped forward. Gayle received a return pass and touched invitingly towards Jonjo Shelvey. The Liverpool midfielder arrived on the edge of the box to sidefoot straight down the middle and into the net. Stech collapsed to his right; his guesswork heavily criticised in the upper echelons of the stadium.

In order for a lower league team to beat a Premier League side its defence must be at its most parsimonious. Luton had made individual errors and paid the price. Their supporters had travelled two hundred and fifty miles inflamed with notions of the FA Cup's romance, all they had witnessed in the first half was its visceral realism.

Conversely, the Tynesiders were well on their way to the next round. The masterful range and precision of Shelvey's passing had kept the challengers at arm's length and the beguiling Ritchie proved a constant threat. In the second period they would have to contend with complacency as well as the intermittently dangerous visitors.

Mpanzu was substituted at half-time for attacking midfielder Harry Cornick, with Olly Lee repositioning himself at the base of a midfield diamond. The Hatters immediately reaped the benefits. Rea sent Woodman's clearance straight back upfield where the mercurial Hylton was waiting. Upon rounding the home keeper on the edge of the area, the former Oxford striker poked audaciously through the legs of Ciaran Clark and into the net. A glimmer of hope for the underdogs.

Copyright: Luton Town F.C.

Moments later, Murphy duped Potts to reach the byline and centre from the right. Perez was denied his hat-trick by a fine reaction save from Stech. Town had found fluency though. Andrew Shinnie's delicate through ball was rifled into the bottom right corner by Hylton, only for him to see the linesman's flag raised after prolonged taunting celebrations. Cue vengeful laughter amongst the home faithful. On second viewing, the Camden-born marksman seemed to be level with the last man when the ball was played.

Two cynical fouls culled any momentum Luton were gathering. First Shelvey and then Hayden both on the marauding Cornick. Both players in black and white were booked. After Hylton executed that same pirouette at the expense of Javier Manquillo the visitors had a free-kick on the edge of the area.
Substitute Elliot Lee, brother of Olly and son of Rob Lee, who played three hundred and seventy-nine times for the Magpies, fired a curling attempt towards the top right corner. Rooted to the spot, Woodman watched the ball cannon off the crossbar.

The contest became stretched as the visitors desperately chased a second. Newcastle could have extended their lead. Ritchie's chip landed in the Gallowgate End, Perez shot narrowly wide, and Gayle volleyed over. Alternatively, Shinnie's long range effort was parried by Woodman, and Luke Gambin's low strike in stoppage time hit the side-netting. 

Newcastle had progressed to the fourth round, but somehow this riveting game seemed to be of little importance. In context, Luton's priority is to return to the third tier after a gruelling ten-year absence. For Newcastle, they must find honest, ethical, and committed owners if they are to emulate past glories. League consolidation compounded by a cup run would be a welcome distraction, for now at least.



Teams (Player Ratings in Bold)

Newcastle United

Woodman - 6.5, Manquillo - 6, Lascelles - 6.5, (Hayden 30' - 7), Clark - 7, Dummett - 7, Murphy - 7.5, Shelvey - 8.5, (Diamé 71' - 6.5), Merino - 6.5, (Saivet 81' - 6), Ritchie - 7.5, Pérez - 8, Gayle - 7 
Luton Town
Stech - 6, Justin - 7, Mullins - 7, Rea - 7, Potts - 7, O.Lee - 6.5, Mpanzu - 5, (Cornick 45' - 6), Berry - 7,  Shinnie - 6.5, (Gambin 82' - 6), Collins - 6.5, (E.Lee 68' - 6.5), Hylton - 8 


Referee: Neil Swarbrick
Attendance: 47,069 (7,500 away fans)