Stoke and Newcastle will need a replay to decide their tie after their third round clash finished goalless.
Replay required after Britannia stalemate
Stoke City and Newcastle United will need a replay to decide their tie after their third round FA Cup clash at The Britannia Stadium finished goalless.
Stoke started well although the best chance of the first half fell to Michael Owen, however, quick thinking by keeper Steve Simonsen denied the England striker after a mistake by Ryan Shawcross.
The visitors continued to apply the pressure after half-time and Steven Taylor was close to nodding The Magpies in front after Simonsen flapped at Charles N'Zogbia's free-kick into the box.
However, Stoke finished the stronger and could and should have claimed the victory. Ricardo Fuller rounded Shay Given, but his cut-back for Jon Parkin was superbly blocked on the line by Taylor.
Damien Duff was lively from the start, with Mark Viduka and Owen both warming to their tasks as the opening period progressed.
Had it not been for Steve Simonsen's quick reactions, Owen might well have put Newcastle in front after Ryan Shawcross misread Viduka's flick.
Owen swivelled in the area, then tried to lift the ball gently over the advancing Stoke keeper. Fortunately for the hosts, Simonsen stuck out an arm to first stop the ball, before smothering it before Owen had a second bite.
Simonsen also made a smart save to deny Charles N'Zogbia as the visitors tried to make their pressure tell, the winger cutting in from his left flank station before unleashing a powerful low drive that could easily have ended up in the Stoke goal.
Although largely on the back foot, the hosts were a threat on the break and,with a bit less excitability, might have scored themselves.
Richard Cresswell was among the guilty men, screwing an awful shot out for a throw-in after finding himself in space inside the Newcastle box.
Newcastle could have eased their nerves within minutes of the re-start as N'Zogbia's free-kick caused panic in the Stoke area.
Taylor struck a post in the ensuing melee before Duff just failed to find Owen when he turned the loose ball back into the danger area.
At that point, there appeared only one winner but the introduction of the robust Parkin for Sidibe presented Newcastle with a problem they struggled to deal with.
Parkin's first touch flicked the ball into Fuller's path, his second would have put Stoke in front had Taylor and Faye not superbly combined to make a goal-line block.
The new arrival then turned Liam Lawrence's far-post corner into the path of Cresswell, whose volley was saved at point-blank range by Given.
The keeper also pulled off a smart stop to deny another Parkin header shortly afterwards as Newcastle clung on.
| Stoke City |
Team Statistics |
Newcastle United |
| 0 |
Goals |
0 |
| 0 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 4 |
Shots on Target |
2 |
| 4 |
Shots off Target |
7 |
| 6 |
Blocked Shots |
3 |
| 10 |
Corners |
3 |
| 20 |
Fouls |
8 |
| 0 |
Offsides |
0 |
| 1 |
Yellow Cards |
1 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 39.1 |
Possession |
60.9 |
|
