USW Sports Journalism student Callum Ellis on witnessing the enduring magic of the FA Cup – at Rodney Parade

by Editor

“Newport County 2, Middlesbrough 0,” read the scoreline at Rodney Parade. Another giant-killing for Mike Flynn’s men after the Championship side was booted unceremoniously out of the FA Cup.

It was a fitting end to a match played on a pitch as used to hosting games with an oval ball as it is with a round one.

That pitch has already witnessed almost 60 encounters this season. Middlesbrough certainly felt the results of wear and tear beneath their feet.

Tony Pulis’ side were bogged down in every sense; muddied and sodden as the rain battered down on their cup departure. Yet it provided the perfect canvas for Mike Flynn’s men to paint themselves into the fifth round for the first time in seven decades.

This really is the stuff of dreams. Or maybe nightmares. Who knows what Premier League champions Manchester City will make of it next week?

They are County’s reward for seeing-off Premier League Leicester in the third round, and now Boro in the fourth.

County stand to earn more than £1m from their FA Cup campaign, not a bad achievement for a club who were within 90 seconds of dropping out of the Football League two years ago.

It’s a great story, especially if you get to be a part of it. USW Sports Journalism student Callum Ellis is a media officer on match days. He explained to fellow student Tom Pritchard, what it was like to be at Rodney Parade on Tuesday evening.