The magic of the FA Cup is alive and well, mark my words.
There may still be one tie left to come but, as we approach tomorrow’s fifth round draw, no further evidence is required.
For here was a weekend with a plethora of passion, drama and talent which showed just how much this competition means to players at all spectrums of the game.
And fans, of course. Always fans.
For they are the lifeblood of the game and that was evident across the country as we witnessed FA Cup highlights from Accrington and Brighton to Sheffield and Wrexham.
Let’s start in a small but spirited town in Lancashire where League One Accrington Stanley were up against Premier League outfit and former cup winners Leeds United.
It was always a big ask to cause a shock, the FA Cup betting odds concurred, but this was a tale to warm the cockles of football fans with long memories.
Accrington had been without a football team following the collapse of the original Accrington Stanley in 1966. The original team had been formed in 1891 and played in the Football League from 1921 to March 1962 until falling on hard times.
After being reformed, they finally returned to the Football League in 2006 and this was one of their biggest days since.
As it turned out, Leeds ran out 3-1 winners with a stunning 25 yard drive from Jack Harrison the pick of the goals as the Yorkshire side made a long-awaited return to the last 16 for the first time since 2016.
However, Accrington had a moment to enjoy when 18 year-old substitute Leslie Adekoya scored his first senior goal with a clever dink, just 38 seconds after coming off the bench.
The home side had only booked their place in the fourth round with a replay win over non-league Boreham Wood on Tuesday but they deserved their consolation and it was a moment that Adekoya will never forget.
At 18 years and 285 days, he became the youngest player to score in this season’s FA Cup.
Two more League One sides who do live to fight another day are Sheffield Wednesday and Fleetwood Town.
After seeing off Premier League high-flyers Newcastle in the third round, Wednesday would have been cursing themselves if they had lost at home to Fleetwood – albeit a side they are in the same division as.
Yet for a while that was a possibility for Scott Brown’s men.
While the hosts could only manage one shot on target against a team they had beaten 1-0 at home last Saturday, that was enough to earn a 1-1 draw and a replay.
The Owls, finalists in 1993, have not lost in 90 minutes since October 4 and are 15 places in the table above Fleetwood who were playing in the fourth round for the first ever time.
After humbling Liverpool in the Premier League a fortnight ago, Brighton were out to cause more south coast misery for the Merseysiders – and my how they achieved it.
In a repeat of two famous ties when they sent them packing in the mid 1980s, the Seagulls did it yet again, pushing in the final 20 minutes of the second half, sensing vulnerability, and gaining their reward.
In stoppage time, Liverpool had got away with a few agricultural challenges and were arguably fortunate to still have 10 men on the field when justice was done.
When the ball reached Kaoru Mitoma at the far post, what followed was a blur of technical brilliance as the winger took the ball down before slicing inside with a touch on his right foot.
Before the ball hit the ground, he had guided it into the far, top corner with the outside of the same boot.
The scenes that followed are what the FA Cup is all about.
They were almost equalled, if not topped, 197 miles away where this SBOTOP observer was brought back to 1992 as he watched the closing stages of non-league Wrexham against Sheffield United.
Then, the Welsh club had knocked out reigning league champions Arsenal in an incredible late show at the Racehorse Ground.
Three decades on, here were Wrexham on the verge of another cup upset but, in the end, they had to settle for being part of a cup classic.
A six-goal thriller also saw them become the first non-league team to score three or more goals in four consecutive games in the FA Cup.
When Daniel Jebbison was harshly sent-off for the Blades with the score at 2-2, Wrexham sensed a famous victory and Paul Mullin’s goal four minutes from time looked to have secured a shock.
Deep in stoppage time, though, John Egan dampened the party mood and showed why he is captain with a leveller in what proved to be the final twist of a enthralling game which pitted the National League leaders against the team second in the Championship.
The magic of the FA Cup eh!
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