Jarrett Rivers became part of FA Cup folklore by scoring in the ninetieth minute to send non-league Blyth Spartans through to the third round at the expense of League Two side Hartlepool. Rivers - who works in his mother's newsagent - broke forward on the right, produced a lovely step-over in the box before firing in a low angled shot that beat the reach of Scott Flinders. It sparked jubilant scenes as the scorer was engulfed by his team-mates, while some of the eleven hundred Spartans fans that travelled the forty miles down the north East coast to the 'Pool ran on, overwhelmed with emotion in front of the BBC TV cameras. However, the goalmouth drama was far from over as Hartlepool, bottom of League Two, mounted one last foray forward and came within inches of keeping alive their Cup hopes when Matthew Bates's strike came off the crossbar. But the Northumberland club, three divisions and sixty five places below their opponents, survived the six minutes of stoppage time to add 2014-15 to 1972, 1978 and 2009 in the list of occasions when they have reached the third-round. 
And if they reproduce the heart and guts on display at Victoria Park then perhaps English football's seventh tier side could emulate their exploits of thirty six years ago when they famously reached the fifth round (and, came within a minute of making it to the quarter final). Blyth hero Rivers said afterwards: 'I'm living off that goal for the rest of my life', while his manager Tom Wade told BBC Sport the victory was 'written in the stars.' Jonathan Franks's header gave Hartlepool a deserved lead for their first-half domination, before Stephen Turnbull levelled after the break for a rejuvenated Blyth, with a quality free-kick that found the keeper's top right. 'I said to the lads if we can stay in this game, these lads are getting beat week in and week out, and we have a chance,' said Turnbull, who is doing an apprenticeship with a ferry company. 'They are expected to batter us but we hung in there, sneaked a goal and got the other. We have an honest bunch of lads, everyone grafts. We are just buzzing.' Blyth are ball number fifty two in the hat for Monday's draw, when all the Premier League teams enter the competition. The draw will be televised live on BBC2. Rivers' late, late strike was heartbreak for the League Two's basement side. They created several chances in the first forty five minutes. Aside from Franks' goal - converted from Neil Austin's cross - Sidney Schmeltz had a header brilliantly saved by Peter Jeffries, while Marvin Harewood found the side-netting and Austin had two shots blocked. 'Pool were also denied when Harewood's strike at 1-1 was ruled not to have fully crossed the line; TV replays proved inconclusive. 'In the first half we were pretty good but didn't take our opportunities,' said their manager Paul Murray. 'The second half was diabolical. There was no fight, no passion, we thought we had it won. That's been the story in the league as well. There were angry words exchanged in the dressing room.' His opposite number Tom Wade added: 'We tried to keep the players calm at half-time. We knew we would have a few chances and if we could stay in the game after sixty minutes we would turn them over. We have a very young side, they are a brilliant set of lads, their attitude is fantastic. It is a great night and I am so proud.' On Saturday morning, Hartlepool made manager Murray the scapegoat for the and sacked his ass. The thirty eight-year-old had only been in charge since October after the departure of Colin Cooper. The former Oldham coach was Hartlepool's sixth manager since Mick Wadsworth's departure in December 2011 with no boss since Danny Wilson from 2006 to 2008 lasting two years in the job.
Speaking of whinging whingers with a sick agenda, Jeff Stelling launched a scathing attack on the BBC over its coverage of the Hartlepool versus Blyth match on Saturday. The Sky Sports presenter - and, completely co-incidentally, highly vocal Hartlepool supporter - criticised the rival broadcaster for filming pundit Alan Shearer inside the Conference North side's dressing room before the game, spurring the players on to their stirring deeds. Instead of Stelling, perhaps, concentrating his considerable ire on the fact that his own team's players let their supporters down so very badly with their woeful, inept and cowardly display. Just a thought to slip into your toaster there, Jeff and see if it pops up brown. 'There will be heroes on that pitch, make sure it's one of you,' Shearer told the Spartans players ahead of the match, a statement which Monkey Hanger Stelling thought was an example of BBC bias. He said: 'It's unacceptable to have Alan Shearer in the Blyth Spartans dressing room before the game saying "there will be heroes, make sure it's one of you in green and white." There are licence payers in Hartlepool too. BBC, hang your head in shame.' However, Stelling - who, of course, always presents Soccer Saturday with a complete lack of loud, crass, crowing bias whenever Hartlepool's latest appalling performance is the subject of any discussion - went on to suggest that he does not hold Shearer personally responsible for the segment, oh no, very hot water, as the former Newcastle striker was likely 'doing what he's told by a producer.' The idea that Alan Shearer does anything when 'told' to, by anyone is, of course, the biggest joke of this entire comedy saga. Shearer himself was unavailable for comment. But, if this blogger was Stelling, he'd certainly watching out for his nose if he happens to be marking Shearer at a corner any time sooner. Those elbows have felled far better men than you, kidda.
Two days after Blyth's memorable victory, another grand old North East non-league club with a cup fighting tradition, Gateshead, progressed to the third round for the first time in sixty years with a victory over eighth-tier side Warrington. The Northern Premier League Division One North outfit had, of course, reached the second round after their shcok giant-killing 1-0 win over Exeter City which was featured live on the BBC last month. 
Warrington fell behind to an early Gateshead goal from the former Newcastle midfielder Matty Pattison, who swept home Rob Ramshaw's cutback from the byline. Pattison and Danny Wright both hit the woodwork for The Heed, for whom former Sunderland winger John Oster was outstanding in midfield, before Wright sealed the victory in the last minute. The substitute capitalised on an error by Warrington goalkeeper Karl Willis to slide the ball into an empty net. Lee Gaskell's acrobatic volley that went just wide was as close as the visitors came.
Premier League leaders Moscow Chelski FC suffered their first defeat of the season as they were beaten at yer actual Keith Telly Topping's beloved, though unsellable, Newcastle in their fifteenth top-flight game of the campaign. The Magpies took the lead when Papiss Demba Cissé his very self slotted home after Gary Cahill missed Sammy Ameobi's low cross. An Eden Hazard shot hit a Newcastle upright before Moussa Sissoko set up supersub Cissé for another tap-in, his seventh goal of the season. The hosts then had Steven Taylor sent off for a second yellow card but, despite Didier Drogba pulling one back for the Russians, United held on for the win. Moscow Chelski FC piled forward late on and Diego Costa had a shot tipped over by twenty one-year-old goalkeeper Jak Alnwick, who was making his first team début having come on as a half-time substitute for the injured Rob Elliot. Newcastle had beaten the Blues in their last two league games at St James' Park but a repeat appeared unlikely considering the marauding form of their visitors. However, a heroic defensive performance, marshalled by centre-back and captain Fabricio Coloccini, was the foundation of a victory which ended Moscow Chelski's hopes of setting a new club record of twenty four matches unbeaten in all competitions and, as a consequence, strutting around like they owned the gaff. The defeat will also end talk of the Torpedo Stamford Bridge side repeating The Arse's 'Invincibles' by going the whole league season without losing and gives the Moscow side's title rivals the chance to make up ground.
Jose Mourinho had insisted that it was 'impossible' to remain unbeaten all season and he was proven dead right as his side were frustrated by a disciplined and organised Magpies side, much in the way they were in a goalless draw at Blunderland last weekend. Before the break, Moscow Chelski FC were limited to a couple of Willian strikes which went wide, a Cahill header over the bar and a well-struck Oscar overhead kick past the frame of the goal. The hosts gradually grew in confidence as they quelled the Blues' threat and might have taken a surprise lead. Ameobi found Ayoze Perez and his sliding pass released Jack Colback, but the midfielder was thwarted when Moscow Chelski's keeper, Thibaut Courtois, saved his close range shot with a foot. It was easy to see how Newcastle had lost just once in nine games but they suffered a setback when goalkeeper Elliot failed to emerge for the second half, having injured himself taking a goal-kick. With regular keeper Tim Krul already out injured, that meant a debut for young Alnwick, whose first piece of action was to punch away a Cesc Fabregas free-kick assuredly. 
Alnwick should have been tested again when another Fabregas free-kick found John Mikel Obi in space at the near post only for the midfielder to head wide, wastefully. The miss was immediately punished when, at the other end, Cahill missed a low Ameobi cross and Cissé who had just come on as a substitute slotted in from close range. Moscow Chelski exerted more pressure but, forty seconds after a Hazard shot came back off a post, Newcastle extended their lead when Cissé scored after a swift counter-attack involving the impressive Colback and Sissoko. A Steven Taylor foul on Andre Schurrle earned the defender his second yellow card left the Magpies a man down for the last ten minutes. And, in a dramatic finale, Drogba gave Moscow Chelski some hope when he nodded in a Fabregas free-kick. However, Newcastle stood firm as Mourinho was left still searching for his first win at St James' Park in five attempts as Moscow Chelski FC manager. After the game, Mourinho was his usual mixture of providing entertaining soundbites and, in equal number, providing sour-faced, graceless, undignified and whinging comments in which he blamed everyone - from the crowd to Newcastle's ball-boys - for his team's defeat. Blamed everyone, that is, except his own players' for their inability to score more goals than their opponents and to defend properly. Odd, that. Alan Pardew, meanwhile, celebrating his a fourth anniversary in charge at St James Park this weekend, will reflect on what a funny old game football can be.
And if they reproduce the heart and guts on display at Victoria Park then perhaps English football's seventh tier side could emulate their exploits of thirty six years ago when they famously reached the fifth round (and, came within a minute of making it to the quarter final). Blyth hero Rivers said afterwards: 'I'm living off that goal for the rest of my life', while his manager Tom Wade told BBC Sport the victory was 'written in the stars.' Jonathan Franks's header gave Hartlepool a deserved lead for their first-half domination, before Stephen Turnbull levelled after the break for a rejuvenated Blyth, with a quality free-kick that found the keeper's top right. 'I said to the lads if we can stay in this game, these lads are getting beat week in and week out, and we have a chance,' said Turnbull, who is doing an apprenticeship with a ferry company. 'They are expected to batter us but we hung in there, sneaked a goal and got the other. We have an honest bunch of lads, everyone grafts. We are just buzzing.' Blyth are ball number fifty two in the hat for Monday's draw, when all the Premier League teams enter the competition. The draw will be televised live on BBC2. Rivers' late, late strike was heartbreak for the League Two's basement side. They created several chances in the first forty five minutes. Aside from Franks' goal - converted from Neil Austin's cross - Sidney Schmeltz had a header brilliantly saved by Peter Jeffries, while Marvin Harewood found the side-netting and Austin had two shots blocked. 'Pool were also denied when Harewood's strike at 1-1 was ruled not to have fully crossed the line; TV replays proved inconclusive. 'In the first half we were pretty good but didn't take our opportunities,' said their manager Paul Murray. 'The second half was diabolical. There was no fight, no passion, we thought we had it won. That's been the story in the league as well. There were angry words exchanged in the dressing room.' His opposite number Tom Wade added: 'We tried to keep the players calm at half-time. We knew we would have a few chances and if we could stay in the game after sixty minutes we would turn them over. We have a very young side, they are a brilliant set of lads, their attitude is fantastic. It is a great night and I am so proud.' On Saturday morning, Hartlepool made manager Murray the scapegoat for the and sacked his ass. The thirty eight-year-old had only been in charge since October after the departure of Colin Cooper. The former Oldham coach was Hartlepool's sixth manager since Mick Wadsworth's departure in December 2011 with no boss since Danny Wilson from 2006 to 2008 lasting two years in the job. Speaking of whinging whingers with a sick agenda, Jeff Stelling launched a scathing attack on the BBC over its coverage of the Hartlepool versus Blyth match on Saturday. The Sky Sports presenter - and, completely co-incidentally, highly vocal Hartlepool supporter - criticised the rival broadcaster for filming pundit Alan Shearer inside the Conference North side's dressing room before the game, spurring the players on to their stirring deeds. Instead of Stelling, perhaps, concentrating his considerable ire on the fact that his own team's players let their supporters down so very badly with their woeful, inept and cowardly display. Just a thought to slip into your toaster there, Jeff and see if it pops up brown. 'There will be heroes on that pitch, make sure it's one of you,' Shearer told the Spartans players ahead of the match, a statement which Monkey Hanger Stelling thought was an example of BBC bias. He said: 'It's unacceptable to have Alan Shearer in the Blyth Spartans dressing room before the game saying "there will be heroes, make sure it's one of you in green and white." There are licence payers in Hartlepool too. BBC, hang your head in shame.' However, Stelling - who, of course, always presents Soccer Saturday with a complete lack of loud, crass, crowing bias whenever Hartlepool's latest appalling performance is the subject of any discussion - went on to suggest that he does not hold Shearer personally responsible for the segment, oh no, very hot water, as the former Newcastle striker was likely 'doing what he's told by a producer.' The idea that Alan Shearer does anything when 'told' to, by anyone is, of course, the biggest joke of this entire comedy saga. Shearer himself was unavailable for comment. But, if this blogger was Stelling, he'd certainly watching out for his nose if he happens to be marking Shearer at a corner any time sooner. Those elbows have felled far better men than you, kidda.
Warrington fell behind to an early Gateshead goal from the former Newcastle midfielder Matty Pattison, who swept home Rob Ramshaw's cutback from the byline. Pattison and Danny Wright both hit the woodwork for The Heed, for whom former Sunderland winger John Oster was outstanding in midfield, before Wright sealed the victory in the last minute. The substitute capitalised on an error by Warrington goalkeeper Karl Willis to slide the ball into an empty net. Lee Gaskell's acrobatic volley that went just wide was as close as the visitors came. Premier League leaders Moscow Chelski FC suffered their first defeat of the season as they were beaten at yer actual Keith Telly Topping's beloved, though unsellable, Newcastle in their fifteenth top-flight game of the campaign. The Magpies took the lead when Papiss Demba Cissé his very self slotted home after Gary Cahill missed Sammy Ameobi's low cross. An Eden Hazard shot hit a Newcastle upright before Moussa Sissoko set up supersub Cissé for another tap-in, his seventh goal of the season. The hosts then had Steven Taylor sent off for a second yellow card but, despite Didier Drogba pulling one back for the Russians, United held on for the win. Moscow Chelski FC piled forward late on and Diego Costa had a shot tipped over by twenty one-year-old goalkeeper Jak Alnwick, who was making his first team début having come on as a half-time substitute for the injured Rob Elliot. Newcastle had beaten the Blues in their last two league games at St James' Park but a repeat appeared unlikely considering the marauding form of their visitors. However, a heroic defensive performance, marshalled by centre-back and captain Fabricio Coloccini, was the foundation of a victory which ended Moscow Chelski's hopes of setting a new club record of twenty four matches unbeaten in all competitions and, as a consequence, strutting around like they owned the gaff. The defeat will also end talk of the Torpedo Stamford Bridge side repeating The Arse's 'Invincibles' by going the whole league season without losing and gives the Moscow side's title rivals the chance to make up ground.
Jose Mourinho had insisted that it was 'impossible' to remain unbeaten all season and he was proven dead right as his side were frustrated by a disciplined and organised Magpies side, much in the way they were in a goalless draw at Blunderland last weekend. Before the break, Moscow Chelski FC were limited to a couple of Willian strikes which went wide, a Cahill header over the bar and a well-struck Oscar overhead kick past the frame of the goal. The hosts gradually grew in confidence as they quelled the Blues' threat and might have taken a surprise lead. Ameobi found Ayoze Perez and his sliding pass released Jack Colback, but the midfielder was thwarted when Moscow Chelski's keeper, Thibaut Courtois, saved his close range shot with a foot. It was easy to see how Newcastle had lost just once in nine games but they suffered a setback when goalkeeper Elliot failed to emerge for the second half, having injured himself taking a goal-kick. With regular keeper Tim Krul already out injured, that meant a debut for young Alnwick, whose first piece of action was to punch away a Cesc Fabregas free-kick assuredly. 
Alnwick should have been tested again when another Fabregas free-kick found John Mikel Obi in space at the near post only for the midfielder to head wide, wastefully. The miss was immediately punished when, at the other end, Cahill missed a low Ameobi cross and Cissé who had just come on as a substitute slotted in from close range. Moscow Chelski exerted more pressure but, forty seconds after a Hazard shot came back off a post, Newcastle extended their lead when Cissé scored after a swift counter-attack involving the impressive Colback and Sissoko. A Steven Taylor foul on Andre Schurrle earned the defender his second yellow card left the Magpies a man down for the last ten minutes. And, in a dramatic finale, Drogba gave Moscow Chelski some hope when he nodded in a Fabregas free-kick. However, Newcastle stood firm as Mourinho was left still searching for his first win at St James' Park in five attempts as Moscow Chelski FC manager. After the game, Mourinho was his usual mixture of providing entertaining soundbites and, in equal number, providing sour-faced, graceless, undignified and whinging comments in which he blamed everyone - from the crowd to Newcastle's ball-boys - for his team's defeat. Blamed everyone, that is, except his own players' for their inability to score more goals than their opponents and to defend properly. Odd, that. Alan Pardew, meanwhile, celebrating his a fourth anniversary in charge at St James Park this weekend, will reflect on what a funny old game football can be. 
