Steve Bruce was five years from being born when Newcastle won their sixth FA Cup in 1955. But after a superb individual goal from the substitute Allan Saint-Maximin helped them edge past Oxford in extra time, despite a stirring comeback from the League One side, the veteran manager may just allow himself a moment to dream.
Like Newcastle, Bruce has unfinished business in this competition having seen his Hull team surrender a 2-0 lead in the 2014 final against Arsenal, and he will know they were fortunate to come through this contest.
Newcastle had been cruising into the fifth round for the first time since 2006 with only six minutes left to play before goals from the Oxford substitute Liam Kelly and Nathan Holland’s brilliant volley turned this game on its head. But, with their owner Mike Ashley watching on in the stands, Saint-Maximin’s brilliant solo effort in the 116th minute set up a trip to West Brom in the next round and will have all Newcastle supporters hoping it may just be their year.
Bruce reacted angrily this week to suggestions that his side had sacrificed style over safety since he succeeded Rafael Benítez as manager, with pre-season predictions that they would struggle to survive having so far been unfounded. Yet despite the mid-season break meaning that their next league match is not until mid-February against Arsenal, Bruce still made five changes for what looked a tricky assignment at this strange, three-sided stadium.
Joelinton was retained in attack, while the Longstaff brothers were paired in midfield despite doubts about both their futures still swirling on Tyneside. A tribute to Jim Smith was unfurled by the home supporters just before kick-off in honour of the manager who took charge of both clubs during the 1980s and died at the end of last year.
Oxford reached the top flight for the first time in their history under Smith before he fell out with the then chairman Robert Maxwell and left to join QPR. Smith subsequently lost to his former club in the League Cup final the following season, 1986, but remains a cult figure in this part of the world having returned for another spell in charge in 2006.
As a proponent of attacking football, Karl Robinson is a fitting successor to his legacy although the sale of two of his best players – Shandon Bapitise and Tariqe Fosu – to Brentford in the last days of the January transfer window has not helped his main objective of achieving promotion to the second tier. Oxford came into this match having drawn five of their last seven including the 0-0 at St James’ Park 10 days ago, although victory over Blackpool at the weekend saw them move up to eighth spot.
With celebrity fan Timmy Mallett watching on, they were the architects of their own downfall on two occasions in the first half. The decision to play the ball out from the back in the 15th minute appear to have paid off until Alex Gorrin was caught in possession and an excellent lay-off from Joelinton allowed Sean Longstaff to curl home a brilliant shot.
The Brazilian should have doubled the lead straight away following an excellent cross from Nabil Bentaleb. But he made no mistake on the half-hour mark after the on-loan Schalke midfielder’s long ball capitalised on more dallying in possession by the hosts. Oxford were unlucky not to give themselves a lifeline before the interval when Karl Darlow denied Holland with a superb save before Jamaal Lascelles headed the follow-up from Jamie Mackie off the line.
Everything seemed to be going Newcastle’s way when Darlow made another excellent stop from Holland’s shot but there was bad news when Joelinton limped off to be replaced by Saint-Maximin.
The car park situated behind one of the goals does this ground no favours in terms of atmosphere, however, and the home fans struggled to rouse Oxford into a response on the pitch. Miguel Almirón could easily have been awarded a penalty after Sam Long appeared to make contact with the Paraguayan inside the box but the referee, Peter Bankes, insisted otherwise.
Oxford were not going to give up without a fight yet the midfield triumvirate of the Longstaff brothers and Bentaleb ensured Newcastle’s defence was rarely tested until a late charge that saw the substitute Kelly curl home a delicious free-kick six minutes from time.
And Bruce could hardly have believed it when Holland popped up with almost the last kick of normal time to equalise. In the end, he will be grateful that Saint-Maximin had not read the script.