Toon Torment Tykes | OneFootball

Newcastle v Barnsley – 1998 FA Cup quarter-final

In the absence of Newcastle United playing an FA Cup quarter-final this weekend, I decided to take a trip down memory lane, back to a time when NUFC were competing for a place in their first FA semi-final since 1974.

As a starry-eyed eleven-year-old, I had dreams of the Toon going all the way and lifting the famous trophy under the twin towers.

Standing in our way between a place in the last four was a Barnsley side who had already taken a point off NUFC in the League and had just dumped Man United out of the cup in an epic two-game encounter that saw the tykes net four times in total.

Despite this, confidence was high on Tyneside that a place in an Old Trafford semi-final was ours if we took advantage of being the home team and seized the initiative from the off, on what we hoped would prove to be a very special occasion indeed.

The perfect day began with the semi-final draw pitting us against either Coventry City or Sheffield United, meaning we had avoided cup favourites Arsenal and were in pole position to make our first appearance in the Wembley showpiece for twenty four years.

Kenny Dalglish’s NUFC were struggling for form, fitness and goals in the Premier League, but would put all of that behind them on an afternoon that would go down as one of the highlights of the season.

If Newcastle were nervous going into this one, they didn’t show it. The match was just five minutes old when we were awarded an attacking free-kick to the left of the area. With the Barnsley defenders desperately trying to stop Alan Shearer getting on the end of a cross, Temuri Ketsbaia took advantage of the extra space by smashing the free-kick low towards the bottom corner. Unfortunately, the ball cannoned back off the outside of the post and out for a goal kick rather than finding the back of the net, but the warning was clear – concentrate too hard on keeping out Shearer and the Toon have other match winners in the team that were ready to enjoy a slice of glory for themselves.

Our Georgian maverick didn’t have long to wait for his magic moment. He’d already made a name for himself two months earlier with a somewhat bizarre celebration when scoring the winner against Bolton, but today he’d demonstrate his goalscoring joy in a more conventional manner.

In the sixteenth minute, Barnsley’s defence was again preoccupied with Alan Shearer so Robert Lee threaded a through ball to Ketsbaia, who slid the ball under the onrushing goalkeeper to open the scoring. Ketsbaia ran to the corner flag and indulged in a celebratory knee slide before being mobbed by jubilant teammates (to the relief of those responsible for maintaining any advertising hoardings!). Barnsley protested vehemently that our forward was offside and a modern VAR system may well have had a lot to say on the matter. Nevertheless, the goal stood and United were 1-0 up.

It would take just eleven more minutes for United to double their lead. Robert Lee was again the architect when he found the perfect pass to split the defence and play in Andreas Andersson. The Swede was still looking for his first Toon goal and he took a heavy first touch that pushed the ball way beyond any defenders and towards the goalkeeper, who was caught in two minds about whether to rush out or stand his ground. Andersson was first to the ball but was only able to fire a weak shot that was easily blocked. With the Barnsley defenders scrambling back to avoid another effort at goal, Gary Speed sprinted in to smash the ball through a number of bodies and double United’s advantage. This was the first of many Toon goals for our Welsh Dragon and provided the cue for ecstatic Toon fans to sing “we’re going to Wem-ber-ley” for the first time in a generation.

With Newcastle two goals to the good and the fans in fine voice, it was surely now a formality that we’d ease our way into the semi-final? Anyone who follows NUFC knows how rarely things are that simple. There would be plenty more drama when the two sides returned for the second half with the scoreboard reading 2-0 to the back and whites.

Barnsley came out all guns blazing and were safe in the knowledge that scoring the next goal would blow this quarter-final wide open. With their relentless pressure, it seemed just a matter of time before they reduced the arrears and just twelve minutes into the second half, a clever pass across the face of goal was side-footed into the top corner by Andy Liddell to make the score 2-1. Game on and with the momentum now firmly with the Tykes, it seemed inevitable they’d find an equaliser that would force a midweek replay at Oakwell.

Barnsley continued to press and Toon hearts were in our mouths when Tykes’ striker Ashley Ward beat the offside trap and looked a certain scorer. Just when an equaliser seemed definite, Shay Given sprinted from his line and made himself big enough to block the effort. This was a huge let-off for United and proof that the job was far from done.

Fortunately, Newcastle United had England captain Alan Shearer in their team and Barnsley’s preoccupation with keeping him at bay would ultimately prove their undoing. With the reds on the front foot, Newcastle were forced to play on the break. Shearer had already scored four FA Cup goals this campaign and used the additional space to fashion two golden chances. Firstly, he raced through on goal before blasting the ball against the ‘keeper and secondly seeing a free header magnificently clawed away when it seemed inevitable he’d score. Barnsley were desperate to keep Shearer quiet and two late tackles on our talisman by Ade Moses were both punished with yellow cards, reducing the tykes to ten men with just fourteen minutes to go.

Surely this was now the time for NUFC to put the match to bed? Newcastle were one goal and one man up but needed to score a third to make the game safe, after a second half that had been entirely controlled and dominated by the tykes.

There was to be further scoring and thankfully this would prove to be a third and final goal for NUFC. As the clock ticked towards the end of stoppage time, the ball was worked to the edge of the box after great work from Gary Speed. Robert Lee was able to provide his third assist of the match and David Batty was on hand to smash a fine effort into the top corner, making the score 3-1 and sealing a place in the FA Cup semi-final in the process. St James’ Park exploded in pure joy! Having finished as runners up in the league for the previous two seasons, would this be the year that United finally lifted a trophy?

Barnsley fans and players were understandably devastated after such a dominant second half but it was the Toon marching on towards an Old Trafford semi-final and the chance of glory not seen in a generation.

Newcastle would go on to beat Sheffield United 1-0 in the FA Cup semi-final in front of over twenty five thousand delirious travelling fans. Shearer’s winning goal ensured we’d end the season at Wembley under the twin towers in our first FA Cup final for almost a quarter of a century. Unfortunately, this is where the fairytale ends. A limp display in the final was punished by Arsene Wenger’s double chasing Gunners, on a baking hot afternoon that ended in Toon tears, but that’s a story for another day.