By Steve Douglas
Welsh club have Wrexham thrilled their Hollywood owners by causing a huge shock in the FA Cup on Saturday.
A 4-3 win over Coventry in the third round of the famous old competition was Wrexham’s best result since the team, who play in English football’s fifth tier, was taken over by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney in November 2020.
Wrexham’s Paul Mullin celebrates in Coventry.Credit:Getty
“I’m completely and totally speechless,” Reynolds, best known for starring in the Deadpool movies, tweeted to his 21 million followers. “What a club. What a town. What a win.”
McElhenney, an American actor and director who was the creator of TV show It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, was just as stunned.
“Wow. Just… wow,” he tweeted.
McElhenney followed that up by posting: “We’re just getting started.”
Wrexham owners Rob McElhenney, left, and Ryan Reynolds. Credit:PA
With the exciting win over Coventry, a team from the second-tier Championship, Wrexham ensured there will be non-league representation in the fourth round — or the last 32.
Wrexham, the world’s third-oldest professional club, were the architects of one of the FA Cup’s greatest upsets, beating then-English champions Arsenal in the third round in 1992.
Sam Dalby and Elliot Lee looked like making it a stroll for the Red Dragons, giving Wrexham a 2-0 lead inside 20 minutes. But Ben Sheaf pulled one back for Coventry nine minutes from half-time before a stoppage-time goal to Thomas O’Connor restored the advantage.
Paul Mullin extended the lead to 4-2 just before the hour mark before Kasey Palmer struck for Coventry in the 76th minute to ensure a nervy finish.
Sheffield Wednesday’s Josh Windass, right, celebrates the Owls’ FA Cup winner over high-flying Newcastle.Credit:Getty
Elsewhere, even having club football’s richest owners was unable to improve Newcastle’s pitiful record in the FA Cup.
Newcastle were humbled by a lower-league opponent in the third round for the second straight year under their Saudi owners, losing at third-tier Sheffield Wednesday 2-1.
At the same stage last year, Newcastle were beaten at home by another third-tier club, Cambridge United. However, the northeast team was still in the early days of the new era then.
Now, they are a rising force in the Premier League, in third place and fighting to reach the Champions League.
FA Cup third round results
- Manchester United 3 Everton 1
- Preston North End 3 Huddersfield 1
- Reading 2 Watford 0
- Tottenham 1 Portsmouth 0
- Gillingham 0 Leicester City 1
- Crystal Palace 1 Southampton 2
- Hull City 0 Fulham 2
- Middlesbrough 1 Brighton 5
- Fleetwood Town 2 QPR 1
- Ipswich Town 4 Rotherham 1
- Bournemouth 2 Burnley 4
- Blackpool 4 Nottingham Forest 1
- Chesterfield 3 West Brom 3
- Millwall 0 Sheffield United 2
- Boreham Wood 1 Accrington Stanley 1
- Shrewsbury 1 Sunderland 2
- Brentford 0 West Ham 1
- Coventry 3 Wrexham 4
- Luton Town 1 Wigan Athletic 1
- Grimsby Town 1 Burton 0
- Sheffield Wednesday 2 Newcastle 1
- Liverpool 2 Wolves 2
Two other Premier League teams — Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth — were beaten by lower-league opposition in Blackpool and Burnley, respectively. But neither represented major shocks, given they fielded weakened lineups because top-flight survival is their priority.
Newcastle’s elimination was a big surprise, with Josh Windass scoring for Wednesday in the 52nd and 65th minutes before Bruno Guimaraes pulled one back in the 69th.
Newcastle have advanced beyond the fourth round of the FA Cup only once since 2006 — in the 2019-20 season.
The early exit at least allows Newcastle to concentrate on finishing in the Champions League qualification positions in the league. The team doesn’t have European competitions to deal with, either.
Cody Gakpo turned out for Liverpool for the first time in the 2-2 draw with Wolves.Credit:AP
Meanwhile, Cody Gakpo made his debut for Liverpool in the defending champions’ entertaining 2-2 draw with Wolverhampton.
The Netherlands forward, who joined from PSV Eindhoven last week, played 84 minutes before being substituted, having provided the pass from which Mohamed Salah scored to make it 2-1.
Hwang Hee-chan equalised in the 66th and Wolves had what the team thought was a late winner by Toti ruled out for a narrow offside in the build-up.
Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez cancelled the opener by Goncalo Guedes, which came after a mistake by Brazil goalkeeper Alisson Becker.
AP
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