Newcastle United got what they wanted yesterday though hardly what they had bargained for. As a bitter easterly wind blew across the Hertfordshire steppes, Stevenage revived the essence of the FA Cup with a performance to warm the heart, not to mention the feet. The Vauxhall Conference club had insisted on playing this fourth round tie at their small but well appointed stadium in Broadhall Way despite protracted objections from the opposition which eventually became pig-headed.
Now Newcastle will indeed be meeting Stevenage at St James' Park but only after a 1-1 draw in which, for the most part, they were matched for physique, stamina and even skill by the nonleague side.
When Alan Shearer, starting his first match for Newcastle since returning from a five-month lay off, headed the Premiership side in front after less than three minutes, the tie was threatened with a sense of anti-climax as numbing as the conditions. But shortly before half-time Giuliano Grazioli nodded the scores level and thereafter Stevenage did not so much hold out as hold their own.
The best part of the game for Stevenage followed a move two minutes past the half-hour when Neil Trebble, in a lot of space on the left, produced a cross from which Grazioli beat Shaka Hislop only to find he had been given offside. But instead of allowing the moment to depress them Stevenage swung straight back to the attack and were eventually rewarded.
Hislop's agile one-handed save to deny Gary Crawshaw a goal became superfluous when the referee gave Newcastle a free-kick. Four minutes from half-time however he needed to tip Trebble's header over the bar after a neat exchange of passes between Simon Stapleton and Crawshaw, followed by Stapleton's dipping centre, had seriously exposed the defence.
Within seconds Broadhall Way had been given over to Bedlam. From Crawshaw's corner on the left, with the stiff wind helping the ball swing into the goalmouth, Grazioli's head glanced the scores level. From then on Stevenage, as well as hoping they could win again, never seriously believed they would lose.
Newcastle did not play badly but there were parts of the game when they were simply not allowed to play any better. At one point they appeared to hold an important advantage through the ease with which Steve Watson and Keith Gillespie were turning the Stevenage defence on the right. This is what led to the opening goal.
From Stevenage's first free-kick Watson wafted the ball towards Gillespie. Michael Love, the Stevenage left-back, moved sluggishly towards it and was beaten by Gillespie whose centre dropped towards Shearer. The rest was refreshingly familiar, as much for England as Newcastle. Shearer calmly aimed a looping header back into the top right hand corner of the net. In fact if Shearer had been back to his usual sharpness the story might have been different. Mark Smith worked tirelessly to deny the striker space and often blocked Shearer's path outside the penalty area. Nearer goal, however, the regularity with which Shearer's cunning enabled him to move off Smith would surely have brought him more goals with better finishing.
Eight minutes before half-time he was off target at the far post following another telling centre from Gillespie and, as the half ended, shot over the bar after John Barnes had nodded down a further cross from the Irishman.
While Kenny Dalglish reinforced his defence with Philippe Albert, Newcastle, even with the wind at their backs, were unable to add sufficient momentum to their attack to avoid a replay. Then again, the header from the Belgian sweeper which Des Gallagher tipped over the bar 15 minutes from the end was important in assuring Stevenage of another six-figure pay day.
Kenny Dalglish: "The conditions and everything else was in their favour and so it's credit to the lads that they dug in so well and got a result."
Obviously Newcastle should win to earn themselves a fifth round tie at home to Tranmere Rovers. But yesterday Stevenage earned the right to dream on a little longer.
Stevenage: Gallagher, Dillnutt, Love (March 42), Smith, Trott, Soloman, Perkins, Grazioli (Wordsworth 79), Crawshaw, Trebble, Stapleton (Inman 79). Subs Not Used: Wilmot, Fenton. Booked: Crawshaw, Perkins.
Newcastle: Hislop, Beresford (Albert 69), Batty, Howey, Lee, Shearer, Barnes (Ketsbaia 69), Pearce, Gillespie, Watson, Pistone. Subs Not Used: Given, Rush, Tomasson. Booked: Pistone, Shearer, Beresford.
Referee: P Jones (Loughborough).
