Ben Waine, a Newcastle fan from New Zealand, reproduced Alan Shearer’s trademark single-arm celebration in front of the travelling Sunderland fans after scoring the goal that knocked the Premier League side out of the FA Cup as Port Vale, bottom of League One, reached the quarter-finals of this competition for the first time in 72 years.
The Newcastle legend did not hesitate to retweet the BBC’s post as Waine, who scored the fourth-round winner against Bristol City in the delayed tie five days earlier, helped Jon Brady’s side to make light of the 56 league places between them and Sunderland. Waine also scored the second‑round winner against Bristol Rovers as Vale, 11 points adrift of the safety line in League One, have found solace in the Cup. Indeed their five Cup triumphs are only one short of their number of league wins.
Régis Le Bris’s side have enjoyed an excellent first season back in the Premier League, while Vale have struggled to adapt to the higher level after their own promotion, leading to Brady succeeding Darren Moore in January. But here, on a rutted pitch in front of a vociferous and increasingly believing capacity 10,685 crowd, Vale rose to the challenge.
“I was in dreamland,” Waine said. “I knew I would get a bit back from the Sunderland fans, so it was nice to run past them and give it back. Mum’s family are from Newcastle and I went back there a few times as a kid. I didn’t have much of a choice about who I supported. That kicked off the dream to come over here and play.
“To be involved in this game and score the winner is pretty special. I had been thinking about the Shearer celebration before the game.”
The New Zealand forward has a busy schedule ahead: a relegation battle, an FA Cup quarter-final and a World Cup. The pitch down Port Vale’s right flank was corrugated enough to level out the technical differences between the teams. The quality of the game deteriorated to a pleasing degree – pleasing, for the neutral, in that there was a clear sense of jeopardy.
“It levels everything,” Le Bris, the Sunderland manager, said. “But it’s not an excuse. It is what it is. Even with the conditions, I think we should have found a solution.”
It was from that side of the pitch that Luke O’Nien, the Sunderland captain, under pressure from Waine in the 26th minute, was so intent on ensuring he did not underhit his back‑pass that he almost scored one of the most memorable FA Cup own goals in living memory. His fiercely struck lofted pass forced Melker Ellborg, the Sunderland goalkeeper, to backpedal swiftly and head the ball over his own crossbar. It was surely one of the best saves of the round, and without hands.
This led to the first of two Port Vale corners from which they ended up scoring. From the second, receiving it short, Ethon Archer crossed long. When the ball came back towards the near post, Dajaune Brown mis‑hit his shot, along the six-yard line, for Waine to head the ball over Ellborg.
Joe Gauci, the Vale goalkeeper, saved by a post in the opening four minutes when he inadvertently cued up Eliezer Mayenda for a close-range header, was in superb form.
Naming a strong side, Sunderland made the two changes imposed on them by suspensions after beating Leeds on Tuesday and had plenty of other close shaves. But Vale’s organisation and energy never deserted them. Habib Diarra, the matchwinner at Elland Road, shot across the face of goal just before half-time, and had a lofted effort cleared off the line by Jordan Gabriel just after; Chemsdine Talbi’s follow-up was saved right on the line by Gauci who later tipped over efforts by Nilson Angulo and Dan Ballard.
Vale may have ridden good fortune at times but, on the hour, were so unlucky not to go a further goal ahead, or at least a man up. Andre Gray, an FA Cup finalist with Watford in 2019, blasted a pass for George Hall to race clear before he was taken down by Ellborg just outside the penalty area. Anthony Taylor gestured that Hall had been running away from goal, and showed a yellow card to the Sunderland goalkeeper. But Vale deservedly prevailed.
“It hasn’t really sunk in at the moment,” Brady said. “I’m just really happy with the boys in their performance today. I haven’t really looked at who’s left in the competition. We’ve got to compartmentalise because we’ve got a quarter of the league season and an FA Cup tie to play in eight weeks. It’s a bit of a pain in the bum to be honest! It’s a privilege but it’s tough as well.”
