BY STEVE MITCHELL
SHREWSBURY CAUSE HUGE CUP UPSET BY BEATING MANCHESTER CITY:
Only five of the scheduled FA Cup fourth-round ties took place this afternoon as the January weather continues to play havoc with the football calendar.
Manchester City boss Malcolm Allison must have wished his side’s trip to Gay Meadow to face Shrewsbury Town would have been one of the casualties, after the Third Division side dumped the men from Maine Road out of the competition on a memorable afternoon in Shropshire.
On a pitch that no one could argue was a great leveller, the underdogs scored in each half to inflict a humiliating defeat on a club that looks to have completely lost its way this season.
Embed from Getty ImagesAllison is still searching for his first league win since returning to Maine Road and his team were undone in the opening 45 minutes when a searching ball from Shrews defender Jack Keay put striker Paul Maguire in the clear. Despite his first attempt being saved by Joe Corrigan, the ball cannoned back to Maguire who followed it into the back of the City net.
Graham Turner’s side were magnificent all afternoon in front of a packed house at Gay Meadow which saw fans lining the perimeter of the pitch, such was the demand for tickets.
The more the game went on, the more one sensed that the home side were going to pull off a big upset and when they were awarded a corner in the second half, Maguire’s in-swinger was met by the head of Bob Chapman to put the result beyond any doubt.
As the Gay Meadow crowd celebrated a famous win with the now customary pitch invasion, Allison and his players were left to reflect on another dismal afternoon, but no-one outside of the blue half of Manchester would begrudge Shrewsbury their moment of glory and a place in the fifth round.
FOREST SEE-OFF YORK CITY AT A SNOW COVERED CITY GROUND:
Volunteers had spent most of Friday night and Saturday morning clearing the pitch at the City Ground to ensure the Nottingham Forest vs. York City FA Cup tie could go ahead. Despite their best efforts to get the game on, many people thought that the match should never have started, on a surface that was still frozen in most places by kick-off.
The Fourth Division side must have fancied their chances of grabbing at least a draw to earn a lucrative reply back at Bootham Crescent, but by half-time, any hopes had been dashed thanks to goals from big defender Larry Lloyd and skipper John McGovern.
Embed from Getty ImagesLloyd’s effort was particularly memorable as he rifled home from around 25 yards; a goal that would have satisfied any top level striker.
It wasn’t really a day to witness the sublime skills of Scottish international winger John Robertson, but when he did get wide on the left, his trickery was causing the visitors all sorts of problems.
It was no surprise then, that when his centre wasn’t properly cleared by the York defence, McGovern’s shot bobbled into the back of Graham Brown’s net to effectively end the contest.
After the break, Forest continued to assert their authority on proceedings and it threatened to get ugly for the visitors. To their credit however, York City never let their heads drop and when Martin O’Neill finally knocked in a third on 72 minutes, the Northern Ireland international was almost apologetic to the men from North Yorkshire.
The afternoon however, turned out to be a memorable one for York striker Barry Wellings; the second-half substitute grabbing a consolation for his team, on an afternoon he and his teammates will never forget.
HOLDERS HELD BY ORIENT AT PORTMAN ROAD, ARSENAL ENJOY HIGHBURY WIN AGAINST NOTTS COUNTY:
FA Cup holders Ipswich Town were held to a goalless draw by Second Division Orient at Portman Road this afternoon. Bobby Robson’s side have been on a good run of late, but will now have to head to Brisbane Road on Tuesday for a replay which could prove a tricky test for the men from East Anglia.
After their marathon third round tie against Sheffield Wednesday which took five games to decide, Arsenal made much lighter work in the fourth round against Second Division Notts County. Willie Young and new signing Brian Talbot got the goals for The Gunners.
NEWCASTLE & WOLVES MUST DO IT ALL AGAIN AT MOLINEUX:
Another fourth round tie heading for a replay is the one between Newcastle United and Wolves after a 1-1 draw at St. James’ Park this afternoon. After a goalless first half, the game sparked into life in the second 45.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe side from the Second Division struck first, when striker Peter Withe got on the end of a cross from John Brownlie, but John Barnwell’s side always looked threatening and they got their reward five minutes from time, thanks to a superb finish from Kenny Hibbitt.
FA CUP RESULTS:
FOURTH ROUND – SATURDAY JANUARY 27:
Arsenal 2-0 Notts County (Young, Talbot)
Ipswich Town 0-0 Orient
Newcastle United 1-1 Wolves (With, Hibbitt)
Nottingham Forest 3-1 York City (Lloyd, McGovern, O’Neill; Wellings)
Shrewsbury Town 2-0 Manchester City (Maguire, Chapman)
POSTPONED MATCHES:
FA CUP FOURTH ROUND:
Aldershot Town v Swindon Town
Bristol Rovers v Charlton Athletic
Burnley v Sunderland
Crystal Palace v Bristol City
Fulham v Manchester United
Leeds United v W.B.A
Liverpool v Blackburn Rovers
Newport County v Colchester United
Oldham Athletic v Leicester City
Preston North End v Southampton
THIRD ROUND:
Wrexham v Stockport County
FIRST DIVISION:
Birmingham City v Q.P.R
Bolton Wanderers v Everton
Middlesbrough v Derby County
FOLLOW THE WHOLE 1978-79 SEASON IN THE ENGLISH FIRST DIVISION WITH STEVE MITCHELL HERE ON THE FOOTBALL PINK. FOLLOW HIM ON TWITTER @barafundler
