Just as Cheltenham Town of League Two sniffed one of the biggest shocks in FA Cup history, two goals in three minutes turned an exhilarating tie on its head and earned Manchester City passage to the fifth round. City were made to sweat after a novelty long throw helped Cheltenham take a surprise lead through Alfie May but late goals by Phil Foden and Gabriel Jesus punctured Cheltenham’s hopes of recording the mother of all upsets before Ferran Torres allowed City to breathe easy in the seconds before the final whistle.
Manchester City’s galaxy of superstars, as the Cheltenham manager Michael Duff described them in midweek after taking in their victory over Aston Villa at the Etihad, arrived as the sun set on Cleeve Hill, a picturesque backdrop on the cusp of the Cotswolds more synonymous with the Cheltenham racecourse. Bookmakers would have given sizeable odds of an upset here but the League Two side ensured City did not have a smooth ride, with Ben Tozer’s preposterous goal-line clearance denying Benjamin Mendy, one of 10 changes to Pep Guardiola’s side, early on. Duff acknowledged everything would have to go in their favour if they were to have a whiff of an upset and Tozer’s heroic header off the line to deny Mendy’s bullet strike after a cross was only half-cleared seemed a good omen. Mendy’s wry smile said it all.
Fifteen minutes before kick-off the public address announcer issued a polite reminder that extra time would be played in the event of the scores being level at the end of 90 minutes. At the time it seemed a touch optimistic but on occasions City were made to suffer. Duff whooped with delight when Alfie May registered a shot on goal, forcing Zack Steffen to save to his right, and City looked nervy at set-pieces. Guardiola was well versed about Cheltenham’s not-so-secret weapon – Tozer’s monstrous long throw – and the captain limbered up in first-half stoppage time to test the City back line.
For a City team that flew in and out of Gloucestershire with the plan of getting the job done as quickly as possible, a first-half firework display behind the Colin Farmer Stand that led to the referee, Stuart Attwell, halting play for five minutes only slowed their getaway.
Three leagues separate these teams but Guardiola and Duff in effect deal in completely different currencies – City’s starting lineup cost more than £260m and Cheltenham’s comprised of eight free transfers, two loanees and a striker in May who cost a modest £10,000.
Perhaps the most striking example of the gulf is that Cheltenham’s goalkeeping coach Steve Book, the nephew of the former City captain and manager Tony, had just £500-a-week to play with to sign a backup goalkeeper last summer.
That goalkeeper, Josh Griffiths, who was recruited on loan from West Brom, suffered the indignation of being beaten by his opposite number here on Tuesday but saved smartly to prevent Phil Foden, the only player to keep his place from midweek, and the fit-again Ferran Torres from opening the scoring in an entertaining first half.
Guardiola had joked that Cheltenham would not leave any beers in the bar that doubled up as the away dressing room but his players appeared woozy, and when they did click Gabriel Jesus was guilty of passing up a golden chance. Foden slipped the striker in on goal, catching the Cheltenham defender Charlie Raglan cold, but Jesus’s placed shot kissed a post.
A few minutes later, Guardiola wore a look of disgust. Tozer took a deep breath and rubbed his hands together before launching another long throw into the box and, when City wilted, May nipped in ahead of Mendy to punish a team that had not conceded in more than 450 minutes. He wheeled away, knee-sliding on to the turf as the Cheltenham coaching staff did their best to conceal or at least rein in their delight.
Paul Godfrey, the club secretary pitchside owing to his part-time role as the stretcher-bearer, punched the air. Along the touchline, Guardiola was deep in conversation with his assistant Rodolfo Borrell, devising a masterplan to spare the humiliation. Enter İlkay Gündoğan and Rúben Dias, a £62m signing last summer.
Then came João Cancelo and his cross paved the way for City’s route to redemption. Foden tapped in with nine minutes to play and then Fernandinho picked out Jesus, who powered in to seal victory. Cheltenham raged at the referee, arguing Jesus was offside, but there was not to be a final twist.
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