Newcastle 0-0 Oxford: Toothless Toon forced into FA Cup replay

Olly Hawkins

We’ll be in the FA Cup 5th round draw for the first time since 2006, but not how we wanted to be, with us failing to beat Oxford within the 90 after a flat and toothless display at a packed out St James’ Park.

Steve Bruce named a strong starting 11 as promised, but nothing clicked all game, with Oxford being fully deserving of a replay – especially after squandering a few big openings in the second half.

The way the game started, it was immediately clear that Oxford were going to be much more competitive than the Rochdale side we beat 4-1 few weeks ago – despite both being in League One.

They immediately created a dangerous opening by flashing a ball across the box, pressed well (giving new boy Bentaleb little room for manoeuvre) and didn’t allow us to play out from the back nearly as easily as Rochdale did.

The first flash point was a lunging Jamaal Lascelles tackle that fortunately only saw him see yellow, but the first 15 minutes was a cagey, seeing Oxford give as good as they got all over the pitch.

Saint-Maximin had a few explosive moments and a shot saved after a dazzling run, Joelinton went down too easily for a potential penalty and Jamaal Lascelles missed a big chance with his head, but aside from that it was a pretty awful first 45 of football, with us looking disjointed and in second gear in all areas as things struggled to click.

We had 67% possession and the bigger chances, but were too slow and laboured on the ball and managed just one shot on target going into the break.

The 52,000 crowd started in good voice, but we had to up the tempo considerably in the second 45 – and

Joelinton had the ball in the back of the net just over 5 minutes into the restart, but he was offside, with Saint-Maximin taking too long to play the Brazilian in behind.

The Frenchman almost made up for it just moments later, skinning his man and getting a shot away inside the box, but it was straight at their goalkeeper.

It looked like we were just upping our intensity and edging closer to the breakthrough, yet sloppiness took over once again, with Oxford creating a host of half chances after Sean Longstaff was ponderous in possession.

We were playing a dangerous game and struggling to string anything together, and we were nearly punished, with Browne taking a brilliant touch to get in behind Jamaal Lascelles – only for his final finish to be straight at the onrushing Karl Darlow.

Joelinton then had the ball in the back of the net again minutes later, but it was chalked off this time because he was stood in an offside position when a Oxford clearance was deflected to him via Yedlin. He finished calmly – for the SECOND time today – however we was clearly offside again, sadly.

A few more half chances arrived, with Lascelles heading wide, Almiron firing over from close range and the Paraguayan drawing blatant yellows from Oxford midfielders as he burst in behind them on the break, but we looked like a side just struggling to know what to do with so much possession.

After all, we’re used to have little over 30% of the ball most weeks – so having over double that today left us looking a little stifled at times.

In the 87th minute, Joelinton’s big chance arrived – and one that would’ve counted had he found the net.

He latched onto a knock down from Clark but fired the ball high up into the Gallowgate End. He’d put in a half decent display today, yet ballooned over jus when we needed him to show a bit of quality in the final third – something we’ve been lacking all day.

Atsu burst into the box late on and forced a corner, but Oxford held on to force a FA Cup replay – yet could’ve easily won it late on if Holland’s 93rd minute strike wasn’t straight at Karl Darlow.

A full crowd and a day that promised to cap off a brilliant week off for the club, but a flat performance.

A disappointing day and an unacceptable display given what a win would’ve meant to the 52,000 fans inside St James’ Park!

(Fancy writing for us? Get in touch at [email protected] & we’ll get back to you!)

About Olly Hawkins

As a Junior Magpie since birth and season ticket holder, I eat, sleep and breathe all things NUFC! Here at the blog, I aim to bring you news, views, match reports and transfer exclusives as and when I get them.

View all posts by Olly Hawkins →

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190 thoughts on “Newcastle 0-0 Oxford: Toothless Toon forced into FA Cup replay”

  1. Sharpy17:
    Another day goes by – no takeover, no LB and no CF.

    (I’m just gonna cut & paste that tomorrow – save a bit of time)

    good lad ,you know it makes sense

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  3. Eric, I don’t think he lives in Jesmond anymore. He had to move further North towards Morpeth area. It didn’t go as far as these nob heads went in Manchester but he was getting stick. I suppose if you take the shilling of a hated owner (s) you’re going to get stock as you’re the face of the regime. Doesn’t excuse the ridiculous behaviour but these MD/CEO’s must know they’re in the firing line,

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  4. That’s even worse Stewie. Having a protest march and Charnley doesn’t even live there anymore. They turn up at some Newcastle University linguistic Professor’s house from Vienna and he has no clue who Ashley is 🙂

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  5. I got an e-mail from The Harrisons saying they would ban me if I carried on belittling their contributors. I have no idea if they banned me or not because I thought it was a bit pathetic of The Harrisons to do that, so stopped posting.

    All I did was call their regular b!tchers a Confederacy of Dunces. I never swore, but some of them were very nasty to me.

    And I questioned whether the protests would actually achieve anything. If this sale goes through it will not be because of the protesters.

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  6. There are 268,000 people in Newcastle – I looked it up.

    Fat Mike gets good publicity from everybody else in the world, especially his *** buddies in the media and pundit world. They all even praise Brucie for the worst sh1tshow of football I have ever seen because he is getting the points. Even worse than Rafa.

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  7. I gave Brucie a B at Chritmas because I was conned by the points and desperately wanted us to stay in the PL.

    I was wrong.

    The standard of football we have played so far has be an F. FAIL. F#KED Up. Flawed, Fatally Flawed. Flaccid.

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  8. Don’t really care anymore … it seems the Dubai Toon could well become just Toon in about 3 months. Lost my job this morning. Made redundant and given 3 months notice. Oh well. Such is life. ?

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  9. Dubai
    On my gosh, i’m so sorry to hear that mate, that’s tough.
    Hopefully you will find another job soon mate. Will you stay out there?

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  12. DT: You can work for Stuart. He is always in your neck of the woods when not in Napa and Chicago.

    I thought I was a world traveler…

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  15. What happened at Ed Woodward’s home last night is disgraceful – and I’ve read some things written towards Ashley through the takeover speculation which totally crosses a line too (not on this site I would add).

    This is football. It’s a game!!. To turn up to someone’s home where his wife and kids could have been and throw fireworks and damage the property is just f@cking crazy.

    I read people wishing harm and death towards Ashley and his family too?? – what the f@ck is the world coming to where things like this can be acceptable man?!?!?!!.

    It’s a game of football. It has no impact on you or your families health or well being – stop supporting the **** club if it’s causing you to feel such anger or aggression towards another human being!!.

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  16. Sharpy agree, self entitled idiots, they don’t know how good they’ve had it. It’s not their time anymore, it’s been them, Arsenal, Chelsea, Cities now it’s liverpools. They need to get over it and get behind their team and thank themselves lucky their owner isn’t Jabba.

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  17. Wow, thanks so much all of you. Appreciate the kind thoughts. Hopefully something will turn up. I’d prefer to stay here a few years more but depends on what’s available… ???

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  19. kimtoon:
    Sharpy agree, self entitled idiots, they don’t know how good they’ve had it. It’snot their time anymore, it’s been them, Arsenal, Chelsea, Cities now it’s liverpools. They need to get over it and get behind their team and thank themselves lucky their owner isn’t Jabba.

    Kim – I’ve read some horrible comments about Ashley and his family too and it’s disgusting.

    Could Ashley do a better job – yes of course he could. That said, we are still a PL club and nowhere collapse like Bury or Bolton.

    But regardless. When I read a comment like ‘I hope Ashley and his whole family dies of cancer’ – I find that person a million times more deplorable than Ashley.
    That was a comment written on another site and not on here – but the person writing it was posing as a Newcastle fan.

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  20. Stuart79:
    Sorry to hear that DT. Will you stay or head back?

    Thanks Stuart. I’d like to stay here but It depends really on whether I can find anything in the 3 month notice period I have before my work visa is cancelled. Let’s see!

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  21. So it seems the club haven’t even looked at signing a striker this window. Just loan signings it seems. Coincidence that he’s talking to potential buyers or just Jabba being a tight **** again?

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  24. The swear checker checks the words within words. If I said I took the tube to C@ckfosters it would star out ****.

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  28. Stu – buy out or no buy out, Ashley would do the bare minimum.

    There’s a story going round we’ve made an offer for Bowen. Him and Rose before the window closes would be great.

    I only see Rose on loan as a possible though.

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  34. I bet Swear Checker lets me say Ginger Spice and that is much more offensive than the words it blocked!

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  38. I never really got how Del Boy got away with calling Rodney a child molester – Rodders you are a farking nonce.

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  40. Rose is better than what we have as I would push Ritchie further up the pitch. He’s better than Atsu.

    Something we should consider. The last time we had takeover stories on this scale it coincided with a horrendous run of results.

    I think this Saturday is as simple as this: win and we stay up.

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  41. Eric – I like Rose, I think he’s a good addition.

    I was really really growing to like Williems a lot, but that’s a horrific injury for the lad & the 2nd one of his career I think – so I’d avoid going back for him once his fit again.

    Rose is 29 I think, so don’t see Ashley signing him permanently – but for what we need right now, I think he’s a very good addition.

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  42. Sharpy: Rose is ****.

    Worst England international since:

    Darren Bent

    Ginger Jack, although he only made the squad and didn’t actually play.

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  44. Eric – you’re entitled to your opinion, but I disagree.

    I’m watching the Man City v Man Utd cup game and Gary Neville has just made an attempt to rationalise the behaviour of the 20 thugs outside of Woodward’s house last night – what a pr!ck.

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  45. Jack Wilshere
    Michael Ricketts
    Andy Sinton – I went to school with him and he was a worse cricketer than footballer.
    Emile Heskey
    Danny Mills
    David James
    Alan Smith
    James Beattie

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  46. Sharpy: GNev normally makes sense. Same with Jamie C who I like and hate at the same time because of his screetchy nightmare of a voice/accent.

    I hate PNev though. Do the opposite to what he says and you will be correct.

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  47. Eric – I usually like GNev too, but to hear him say he can understand it coz the club is badly ran and the fans are frustrated – nah, absolutely no excuse for that behaviour last night.

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  48. Totally agree with you Sharpy. No excuse for what GNev is saying and no excuse for the Man U fans doing what they did to Woodward. His family weren’t there which is a very good thing.

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  49. I am trying to think.

    Without googling it, didn’t Buucie take Hull down, to the FA Cup final and then get promoted?

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  51. Takeover prediction. We will be going down the same route as we did in the summer. Nowt happening, nobody talking and it will just peter out as usual. We will be left with Jabba.

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  52. Stuart79:
    Takeover prediction. We will be going down the same route as we did in the summer. Nowt happening, nobody talking and it will just peter out as usual. We will be left with Jabba.

    Stu – there’s an easy way to stop all this nonsense. It seems Ashley doesn’t want any deal going public – but it seems every deal involving Staveley HAS gone public and Ashley says it’s from their side.
    So, going forward, just simply say that any deal involving Staveley will not be entertained.

    Then any story involving her, we will all know would be BS.

    However in doing that, it would remove his excuse for not getting business done in transfer windows – so they’ll never do that.

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  54. Jabba’s problem is that according to the likes of Lee Ryder, George Caulkin, the FT and WSJ that Staveley has already provided him with proof of funds.

    But what I don’t understand about all these things is that the likes of Luke Edwards and Craig Hope are saying they hear that nothings happening and it’s looking like the same old story? They’re obviously getting info from the sellers side. What has Ashley done in 12 years to make him believable? I just genuinely don’t believe he wants to leave.

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  55. You are probably right Stuart. I am certainly not smart enough to figure any of this out.

    Starts and stops. Begins and ends, But not in a good way.

    End of.

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  56. I had a stick up my **** about Aussies for like 10 years. I travelled in Egypt with some and they were total pains and I pushed it onto Aussie on here.

    Ritchie Benaud
    Shane Warne
    Barry Humpr\rhies
    Ricky Ponting

    Some of the best people in the world.

    Not sure about the current Prime Minister though.

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  57. I am like an idiot sometimes.

    Ponting is my hero. Everything he says about cricket just makes sense. Not as funny as Nasser, but just as smart.

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  58. The English Cricket Board offered Nasser Hussein a role. He didn’t talke it because he said it would compromise his integrity. Coolest dude in the world. Imagine Robbie Savage saying that!

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  59. I like what Carra says. But that voice! That fcn voice. High pitched throatal scouse must be the worst sounding in the world. Like a constipated budgie choking on a pie.

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  60. Again…

    The Beatles didn’t sound like that.

    They were Cheeky Chappies. Not hockling in your dinner.

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  61. Sorry I went a bit wacky. Threw my back out and decided I would drink Bourbon to pass out and ignore it. My back isn’t fixed but I am out of whiskey.

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  63. West Spam got a terrible run in. In fact there next five games are a nightmare. City, Liverpool again, Arsenal and Chelsea I think with Brighton this Saturday a must win.

    If we beat Norwich they’re gone and then I think Villa and West Ham.

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  64. Rose is a short term fix, if he’s even a fix at all, not sure he’s all that really. No way Jabba sanctions a permanent deal for a 29 year old. 3 loans , wow aren’t we ambitious.

    Gary nev has some front trying to excuse that behavior, serious error of judgement that.

    On the takeover, it really is tiresome now, utterly frustratingly tedious bull s hite. I don’t know what’s worse the rehashing of a sale every bloo dy window or the fact some fans go into overdrive believing it will happen.
    Even if it’s legit and they have the funds and want us, he will not sell . Non story .

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  65. Wet Spam have overrated players. I really hope they go down.

    Declan Rice is the jointly most overrated player in the history of football. Him and Jack Wilshere. Well, if Jack played football and didn’t just sit on the treatment table.

    And Mark Noble is 3rd (most overrated).

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  67. Rose is better than we have as a left back. He will give us something and it will allow Ritchie to play in attack.

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  69. Stu – agree about Rose and the Bowen news sounds about right too.
    Fat lad won’t sell the club, but also won’t spend to get the players we should be getting – players we desperately need.

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  74. It’s been well suggested that Bowen is Bruceys top target – I could well believe that with him knowing the player from Hull.

    If Bowen goes to Palace for as little as £16m, it’s yet another manager that Ashley isn’t backing.

    The only get out to that is if he is selling the clubs – or sells the club.

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