Agency :
Fourth-tier Cheltenham Town came within minutes of one of the great FA Cup shocks before Manchester City scored three late goals to win an absorbing fourth-round tie 3-1 on Saturday.
Alfie May looked poised to write his name into the competition’s folklore when he pounced to put his side ahead in the 59th minute at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium.
Cheltenham, 72 places lower than City in the standings, were holding on and edging towards a fairytale win but reality returned when Phil Foden equalised in the 81st minute.
Three minutes later Gabriel Jesus put City in front and Ferran Torres added a cruel third with the last kick.
Some say the romance of the world’s oldest knockout competition has been diluted in recent times.
But this tie had everything apart from, sadly, a baying crowd because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
There were incredible goalline clearances, near misses, throw-ins launched like grenades and even a five-minute delay in the first half as fireworks exploded above the stadium.
In the end it was a relieved Pep Guardiola whose side’s 10th successive win in all competitions set up a last-16 tie away to Championship high-flyers Swansea City.
“We came here with humility and had the quality to make the difference,” Guardiola said.
“They used their quality in the box, they are taller and better than us there and we showed clips on how to solve it. It is difficult to control that.”
For Cheltenham manager Michael Duff it was a case of what might have been.
“I’m incredibly proud. The players they brought on from the bench and the way they celebrated the goals tells you something. They know they’ve been in a game. They’ve done that to better teams than us,” he said.
Guardiola made 10 changes to the side that beat Aston Villa in City’s last Premier League game but his starting side still looked fearsome with the likes of Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez, Benjamin Mendy and Fernandinho all included.
Fourth-tier Cheltenham Town came within minutes of one of the great FA Cup shocks before Manchester City scored three late goals to win an absorbing fourth-round tie 3-1 on Saturday.
Alfie May looked poised to write his name into the competition’s folklore when he pounced to put his side ahead in the 59th minute at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium.
Cheltenham, 72 places lower than City in the standings, were holding on and edging towards a fairytale win but reality returned when Phil Foden equalised in the 81st minute.
Three minutes later Gabriel Jesus put City in front and Ferran Torres added a cruel third with the last kick.
Some say the romance of the world’s oldest knockout competition has been diluted in recent times.
But this tie had everything apart from, sadly, a baying crowd because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
There were incredible goalline clearances, near misses, throw-ins launched like grenades and even a five-minute delay in the first half as fireworks exploded above the stadium.
In the end it was a relieved Pep Guardiola whose side’s 10th successive win in all competitions set up a last-16 tie away to Championship high-flyers Swansea City.
“We came here with humility and had the quality to make the difference,” Guardiola said.
“They used their quality in the box, they are taller and better than us there and we showed clips on how to solve it. It is difficult to control that.”
For Cheltenham manager Michael Duff it was a case of what might have been.
“I’m incredibly proud. The players they brought on from the bench and the way they celebrated the goals tells you something. They know they’ve been in a game. They’ve done that to better teams than us,” he said.
Guardiola made 10 changes to the side that beat Aston Villa in City’s last Premier League game but his starting side still looked fearsome with the likes of Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez, Benjamin Mendy and Fernandinho all included.