If, in May, Robert Lee is to become the first Newcastle captain since Jimmy Scoular (circa 1955) to hoist a major domestic trophy, it seems the particularly striking talent of Shearer rather than the fickle hand of fate will be the determining factor. Or simply Shearer's head, perhaps. Thrice in the fourth round it came to Newcastle's rescue against Stevenage. Substitutes not used: Marcelle, Tinkler, Leese (gk).Referee: M Riley (Leeds).Bookings: Barnsley Ward, Bosancic.Attendance: 54,700Man of the match: Moses.. IF Newcastle United's name is on the FA Cup (and not from the black and white days of the 1950s) someone ought to scratch it out and, next to the year 1998, engrave the legend: Alan Shearer.
As one press cynic put it: "Who needs Salas when you've got Pally?"Goals: Hendrie (38) 0-1; Sheringham (42) 1-1.Manchester United (4-4-2): Schmeichel; Clegg, Berg, Pallister, Irwin; P Neville, Johnsen (Beckham, h-t), McClair (G Neville, 79), Giggs; Sheringham, Nevland (Cruyff, 58). Substitutes not used: Casper, Van der Gouw (gk).Barnsley (3-5-2): Watson; De Zeeuw (Appleby, 25), Moses, Morgan; Eaden, M Bullock, Bosancic, Redfearn, Krizan; Hendrie (Liddell, 81), Ward. One such run, 12 minutes from time, took him deep into the area, only for Hendrie to shoot wildly over.The spot kick that never was came seven minutes from time when Gary Neville brought down Andy Liddell. By then, the poverty of United's imagination had been highlighted by the sight of Pallister marauding clumsily in the centre-forward position. However, the anticipated siege never quite materialised.Barnsley continued to counter with menace and Martin Bullock, Oakwell's answer to Juninho, caused particular problems with his sinuous dribbling. But the goalkeeper, determined to atone for October's aberration, managed the considerable feat of outsprinting Giggs to the ball.The interval gave Ferguson a chance to rectify United's shortcomings, and David Beckham duly appeared.
Barnsley's goal should have fallen within 50 seconds, Giggs sending a free header straight at Watson. Giggs' backheeled pass put the England striker clear in a central position, from which he passed the ball into the slender gap between David Watson and his left-hand post.Barnsley, with the self-confessed Manchester City fan Ashley Ward frequently exposing Henning Berg's current frailty, lived dangerously when Jovo Bosancic underhit a pass to Watson. Hendrie suppressed his surprise long enough to stroke it into the unguarded net.Behind for the third consecutive home game, United drew level within four minutes with a goal fashioned and finished with a panache largely absent from their play. Ryan Giggs, handed a floating role, had already laid off one through-ball for Brian McClair to fire against an upright.Now the Welshman killed another long pass on his chest before spotting Sheringham's run. Given a routine clearance by Gary Pallister's back-pass, he sliced the ball horribly across goal.
