Cambridge United match-winner Joe Ironside used to idolise Alan Shearer and would journey up from his native Middlesbrough to St James' Park to look at his hero. Both of these strikers - the lower-league journeyman or long-retired membership legend - could be higher than what Newcastle have in assault proper now.
Take nothing away from Mark Bonner's League One aspect. They had been wonderful and deserved what ought to rank as a real FA Cup upset, given the hosts named their strongest obtainable XI - together with £12million debutant Kieran Trippier - and had been backed by a sell-out crowd together with chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of Saudi Arabia's Public Funding Fund. A riyal for his ideas this morning (this night. FOR WEB)
For Newcastle had been woeful within the ultimate third, the place 24 photographs handed with out conversion. A minimum of Ironside or Shearer - even at 51 - would absolutely have caught certainly one of them away.
MATCH FACTS AND PLAYER RATINGS
Targets: None
Bookings: None
Purpose: Ironside 56
Bookings: Knibbs, Lankester
Referee: Tony Harrington 7
Attendance: 51,395
As an alternative, Eddie Howe shuffled his pack - utilizing two wingers and a wing-back within the lone-striker - and watched as his crew had been made to appear to be jokers in entrance of purpose.
With prime scorer Callum Wilson sidelined for one more eight weeks and deputy Dwight Gayle additionally absent, there isn't any doubt which place is their number-one switch precedence this month.
Newcastle used to duck out of the cup with little grievance underneath earlier proprietor Mike Ashley. They had been really making an attempt right here, and that needs to be a priority for the brand new regime, who noticed match to subject a rallying cry within the residence dressing-room afterwards.
However the story of their season won't be outlined by this recreation, as sorry because it was. It's the matches forward and the hunt for top-flight survival that may decide the success or in any other case of a marketing campaign that also solely exhibits one victory from 20 matches.
For Cambridge, nevertheless, this was an historic event. Ironside will take the headlines for his close-range end on 56 minutes, however goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov was undoubtedly their man-of-the-match. One save in stoppage-time defied physics however was proof of the chemistry and spirit amidst their resistance.
U's boss Bonner mentioned: 'It was an actual day of reminiscences for everybody within the membership, definitely the gamers and positively the supporters.
'We knew how robust it was going to be, however I feel we actually stepped up in an environment that was a problem for us. It was all new, and we needed to experience our luck at instances and be very resolute defensively, however we had been. We defended our field for our lives.
'I am actually happy with the trouble and endeavour of the crew. It is a main outcome for us and a superb expertise to have the ability to share it with the supporters after the sport.
'The FA Cup's definitely nonetheless vital to groups at our stage. I perceive why some may query that, there's extra soccer now than ever earlier than, however I suppose the magic of the FA Cup is in regards to the underdog pulling out a shock story. We knew going into as we speak that there is at all times an upset someplace. Whether or not we could possibly be it, we did not know, however someway we discovered a manner of creating it occur.
'The gamers are shot to bits. They've actually gone to battle for one another and left all the things on the market.'
The primary half felt like capturing observe at instances for Newcastle, and boy do they want it. Sure, Mitov performed just like the proverbial cat, however the Premier League aspect had been as weak as kittens within the penalty space.
They'd their club-record signing on the sphere, a participant who arrived as a £40million striker. However right here was a reminder as to why Joelinton has appeared much more snug as a midfielder underneath Howe in latest weeks.
Twice he discovered himself free inside the world within the opening 20 minutes however elected to move. And move poorly, too.
Allan Saint-Maximin had began at centre-forward earlier than wing-back Jacob Murphy had a go. He, in equity, not less than acquired into positions to attain, even when he by no means actually appeared like doing so.
Mitov blocked Murphy's roller on 24 minutes and the makeshift frontman was once more denied by the Bulgarian earlier than the break. It appeared a sure purpose when he swept heading in the right direction from eight yards, however the effort gave Mitov half an opportunity and he took it, someway clawing clear.
However the most effective save of the half got here in injury-time when Murphy drilled for the highest nook just for Mitov to brush towards the crossbar. The keeper wore a smile as broad because the Tyne and so he ought to.
Eleven minutes into the second half and there have been 5,000 beaming faces within the away finish excessive above the Leazes Finish purpose into which Ironside hooked residence after a recreation of pinball contained in the six-yard space.
Newcastle's response was limp and solely within the 94th minute did they appear to be forcing extra-time when Joelinton met a nook and headed on purpose. Mitov, although, flipped over the crossbar.
Howe mentioned: 'We missed that point of interest in assault. We tried to swap issues round and it did not actually work. However we all know the problem now we have forward. We will not let this derail us.'
It's, you observed, going to take a good few of these Saudi riyals to get this crew again on observe.