Saturday 27th January
Milton Keynes Dons 0 Coventry City 1
Maxime Biamou struck in the 62nd minute to fire Coventry City into Round Five of the Emirates FA Cup at the expense of Milton Keynes Dons at Stadium MK.
The visitors had disposed of Premier League Stoke City in the previous round, whilst hosts MK had also caused a shock in the previous round by knocking out Championship Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road, so both had recorded ‘Cupsets’ in the previous round.
The Sky Blues are going well in the league and sit just inside the playoffs in League Two, however it’s a different story for the hosts who are struggling in League One and saw manager Robbie Neilson lose his job after defeat at Northampton Town, but had appointed a new management team, with Dan Micciche installed as new boss along with Keith Millen as his assistant and Dean Lewington as player coach.
No doubt the club were hopeful the change would have a positive impact on this cup tie and also the league form going forward and early on it was the Dons who were on the front foot and the first chance of the game came after ten minutes when Marcus Tavernier fired a shot from range and saw it deflect wide.
The Sky Blues themselves tried to get themselves into the contest and in the 18th minute saw a corner drilled in which was won by McDonald, but saw his header saved by keeper Nicholls, and then five minutes later MK went back on the attack and after Sow had seen another effort blocked, a ball into the box was met by Algard, however McDonald got his body in the way before the follow up from Tavernier went well over.
However a minute later the Sky Blues almost took the lead when McNulty played a one two with Doyle, with his touch finding Biamou, and the latter’s effort was brilliantly saved by Nicholls. Bayliss then fired an effort wide of the MK goal before a Coventry corner just before the half hour mark saw a Barrett effort blocked.
With five minutes of the half remaining Barrett dragged an effort wide for the visitors before MK then had a period of pressure on the Sky Blues goal, however they could not test keeper Burge apart from a punch clear from one cross, before a minute before the break both sides had chances, firstly when McNulty forced hosts keeper Nicholls into a decent stop, before MK broke and saw Tavernier burst through but see keeper Burge come and claim the ball at the feet of the attacker.
It meant the half ended goalless with both sides having seen openings but fail to take them, and it meant all to play for in the second half.
Half Time Milton Keynes Dons 0 Coventry City 0
Three minutes into the half Gilbey had a couple of efforts at the Coventry goal, the first one brought a shout for handball, before the second went wide, before five minutes into the half the visitors went so close to taking the lead when a long ball from McDonald found McNulty, who cut inside and struck an effort inches wide of the far post. It drew gasps of breath amongst the fans around me, we all thought it was in!!
Just past the hour mark it was MK who were holding their heads as Williams brilliantly got to a ball that looked to be going out of play, and he fired a wicked ball right across the six yard box which Agard looked sure to convert but the ball got stuck underneath his feet and the chance was gone.
And in this game of fine margins instead of going a goal up, MK soon found themselves a goal behind as a minute later the Sky Blues broke the deadlock, when after superb work from Bayliss on the right, he slid in McNulty and his ball towards goal saw Baimou get to it and hit an effort through Nicholls legs and saw the ball squeeze over the line before the defender on the line could clear, and it sent the 8,000 Sky Blues fans behind that goal crazy. Cue pitch invasion and the like but the joy was there for all to see, and they now had a lead to hold onto.
However the visitors actually looked to end this tie and in the 67th minute went close when Bayliss again did well down the right, found McNulty and his ball across was met by Kelly but it went wide, and then two minutes later saw a Shipley corner headed over by Willis in the 69th minute, before a Shipley free kick was saved by Nicholls.
With ten minutes remaining and with MK desperately looking for an equaliser, Tavernier saw his deflected effort turned over by Burge, but sadly for the hosts the corner came to nothing.
With a bumper crowd of 14,925 inside Stadium MK (admittedly swelled by the huge Sky Blues following) the hosts so desperately wanted them to have something to cheer about and they saw Wootton head wide from a corner before another penalty shout from MK after what they deemed a foul on Ugbo fell on deaf ears.
Six minutes of stoppage time was then announced and the Sky Blues so nearly sealed the win when they broke after Stevenson won the ball, the former then played a one two with McNulty, but then saw his one on one effort saved by Nicholls.
It meant a nervy final few minutes for the Sky Blues but they held firm and knocked out another higher league opponent for the second round in succession to take their place in the Last 16 of the competition. The dream continues.
Full Time Milton Keynes Dons 0 Coventry City 1
Here are some photos from the day:-
So it's the Sky Blues who are through to Round Five of the FA Cup, and the second round running they have knocked out higher league opposition. City's reward is a trip to the south coast and the Amex Stadium to take on Premier League Brighton & Hove Albion. This will arguably be their toughest test so far but they can go their with hope that they can pull off another upset and make the Quarter Finals of the famous old trophy.
It was a great 24 hours in general for me, I chose to stay at the Doubletree Hilton that is built into Stadium MK and it was a wonderful experience to walk out of your room to overlook the pitch, and also eat breakfast in the pitchside restaurant too. A cracking facility it sure was and MK should be proud of what they have their. Fantastic experience ended with a tough battle out on the pitch in front of a rawcous crowd (mainly the Sky Blues it has to be said) which added to the experience as a whole.
So that was my featured game, however their was a bonus game in this round too as I chose to visit Wembley for a replay between Premier League Spurs and League Two Newport County. The sides had played out a 1-1 draw at Rodney Parade in the original tie, with Harry Kane grabbing a late equaliser to prevent Spurs from a highly embarrassing result and no doubt shock of the round too.
It did mean that Newport would get a trip to Wembley, and backed by over 7,000 visiting fans they made their way to London for this one, and here is how it panned out:-
Wednesday 7th February
Tottenham Hotspur 2 Newport County 0
Two first half goals were enough for Tottenham Hotspur to see off a plucky Newport County side at Wembley and progress into the Last 16 of the Emirates FA Cup.
The sides had met twelve days ago in Wales and the Premier League side had needed a late Harry Kane equaliser to rescue them from a huge upset after the hosts had taken the lead in the first half at Rodney Parade.
However the hosts, three leagues above their opponents, were expected to finish the job here. But backed by a sizable away support, Newport would no doubt enjoy their Wembley experience whatever the outcome in this one.
Spurs had the first shot on goal, when Heung-Min Son whistled a shot over from an acute angle, as they looked for that early goal to settle their nerves. Newport though looked far from overawed by the occasion though and so nearly took an 11th minute lead when a pin point cross found Padraig Amond unmarked in the area, but he could only direct his header over when he should of at least tested Michel Vorn in the Spurs net.
And after twenty or so minutes Newport were more than holding their own in this one, and you could feel the home crowd becoming edgy already as their side had started with a degree of nervousness in this one.
In the 22nd minute the hosts did go close when a ball to the far side of the box saw full back Danny Rose charge in to fire an effort into the side netting, but three minutes later the home side could relax a little when they did find the breakthrough when Moussa Sissoko crossed into the danger zone and the unfortunate Dan Butler turned the ball into his own net, and Spurs had the lead.
This seemed to release a pressure valve in the hosts as they began to find their feet at long last and on the half hour visitors keeper Joe Day had to make decent saves from Erik Lamela and then Son in a matter of moments before Lamela then fired a loose ball well over the bar.
Two minutes later more good Spurs build up play ended with Lamela firing wide of the Newport goal, and you felt a second Spurs goal wasn’t far away.
And just a minute later, in the 34th minute, they found that second goal as good play from Son saw him play in Lamela, and the Spurs attacker duly slotted expertly past Day and into the far corner and Spurs now had a two goal cushion and were looking very menacing now.
With seven minutes of the half remaining Spurs fizzed a ball into the near post, but Day got down well to save that, before the visitors managed to break down the left a few minutes later, and almost converted the cross however the covering defender managed to just about thwart any danger to the hosts goal.
Remember Victor Wanyama and his goal against Liverpool? Well he received the ball about twenty five yards or so, and with the crowd urging him to shoot, he obliged although this effort was sliced miles wide of the target!!!
It was the final act of the half, a half were Spurs had started slowly, however after they took the lead looked far more comfortable. Newport were far from disgracing themselves though but they had a mountain to climb in this one.
Half Time Tottenham Hotspur 2 Newport County 0
It was a fairly quiet opening to the second period, with the first effort at goal a Wanyama effort for the hosts, although his header was straight at Day, and then two minutes later Spurs almost netted a third as a cross was almost turned in by a defender, but this time they managed to advert any danger, just.
Then just past the hour mark great skill from Lamela saw him twist and turn his marker inside the box before he almost teed up Fernando Llorente, but the striker could not stretch far enough to divert the cross home.
You had to give Newport their due though as they continued to battle well and give it a go, however Spurs always looked the likelier to add further goals, and in the 65th minute saw Lamela thwarted by a decent stop from Day, before another terrific move from the hosts involving the recently arriving substitute Christian Eriksen and Rose ended with the former putting Rose’s cross wide of the target.
In the 72nd minute Newport went on the attack and it needed a decent punch out from Vorm to clear the danger and from this Spurs counter attacked but messed up the final ball and the flag had gone up for offside in any case.
And four minutes later it should have been three for the hosts when a delightful ball into the area found Llorente all alone, however he could only head wide of the far post, and then two minutes later Llorente was guilty of another miss when another great cross found him unmarked however he could only volley wide the other post.
Spurs had also now brought on Dele Alli and in the 83rd minute saw a brilliant ball release him in on goal, however his effort struck the bar and went over, before he saw another effort well saved by Day down at his near post four minutes later.
Three minutes of stoppage time were then announced and in the first of these another second half substitute Kyle Walker-Peters fizzed a decent effort wide, whilst deep into stoppage time Newport so nearly grabbed a goal when they found themselves in on goal however Vorm made a terrific save to deny them, and preserve his clean sheet in the process.
In was the last act in this one, and Spurs had netted a fairly routine victory in the end, although take nothing away from the visitors who gave their all and were rightly clapped by their fans as well as the home ones after the final whistle. However it is Spurs who travel to face Rochdale in the Last 16 of the competition.
Full Time Tottenham Hotspur 2 Newport County 0
Here are some photos of the evening:-
So Spurs are through to face Rochdale as I said, that will be another tough one on what is not going to be the best playing surface by all accounts, however it's the same for both sides so I say just get on with it, it's the magic of the cup after all!!!
Right here are the Fourth Round Proper results in full:-
Friday 26th January
Sheffield Wednesday 3 Reading 1
Yeovil Town 0 Manchester United 4
Saturday 27th January
Peterborough United 1 Leicester City 5
Huddersfield Town 1 Birmingham City 1
Notts County 1 Swansea City 1
Milton Keynes Dons 0 Coventry City 1
Millwall 2 Rochdale 2
Southampton 1 Watford 0
Middlesbrough 0 Brighton & Hove Albion 1
Wigan Athletic 2 West Ham United 0
Hull City 2 Nottingham Forest 1
Sheffield United 1 Preston North End 0
Newport County 1 Tottenham Hotspur 1
Liverpool 2 West Bromwich Albion 3
Sunday 28th January
Chelsea 3 Newcastle United 0
Cardiff City 0 Manchester City 2
Replays
Tuesday 6th February
Birmingham City 1 Huddersfield Town 4
(AET)
Rochdale 1 Millwall 0
Swansea City 8 Notts County 1
Wednesday 7th February
Tottenham Hotspur 2 Newport County 0
Some notable results from Round Four saw Wigan dump West Ham out in Lancashire and West Brom recording a victory at Anfield against Liverpool, who would of no dount fancied their chances of possibly winning the competition. Premier League sides Huddersfield, Swansea and Spurs were all taken to replays, however they all won their rematches, with Swansea hitting eight in their replay against Notts County. And finally Rochdale dumped Championship side Millwall out of the cup, with the reward a home tie with Spurs at Spotlands.
Here are the fixtures for the Fifth Round Proper:-
Friday 16th February
Leicester City VS Sheffield United
Chelsea VS Hull City
Saturday 17th February
Sheffield Wednesday VS Swansea City
West Bromwich Albion VS Southampton
Brighton & Hove Albion VS Coventry City
Huddersfield Town VS Manchester United
Sunday 18th February
Rochdale VS Tottenham Hotspur
Monday 19th February
Wigan Athletic VS Manchester City
Some notable ties in this round see's former Sheffield Wednesday manager Carlos Carvalhal return to Hillsbrough with his current side Swansea City in what promises to be a tough game for the Premier League outfit, whilst Spurs travel to Spotlands to take on Rochdale and Manchester City's stars visit West Ham conquerors Wigan on Monday night.
My featured game of the round though comes from the Amex, where Premier League Brighton host League Two Coventry. The hosts have dispatched local rivals Crystal Palace and then sneaked past Middlesbrough to reach this stage, whilst the Sky Blues have beaten Vanarama National sides Maidenhead United and Boreham Wood before they stunned Premier League Stoke City in Round Three and then knocked out League One MK Dons in the last round to take their place here. All the pressure is on the hosts in this one and I would not be surprised if Coventry got something from this one, should be a fascinating cup tie!!!
So make sure you read my next blog on Round Five where I'll have a report from the Amex as well as what happened in their other seven ties in Round Five.
