Sheffield Wednesday have secured a third round tie against Premier League side Newcastle United after surviving an early scare to beat Mansfield Town 2-1 at Hillsborough.
Forward Michael Smith proved the difference between the two sides, with the substitute scoring twice in eight minutes to turn the tie on its head.
The third round tie against Eddie Howe’s side is a dream for Smith who grew up a Magpies fan.
The former Rotherham forward said before the draw: “I’d like Newcastle away but I’ll take any Premier League club away.”
He added: “I’ve never managed to get there as a player – plenty of times as a Newcastle fan. It would be lovely to before I retire.”
Darren Moore made eight changes from the side that beat Shrewsbury Town in the Owls’ previous league fixture.
Only defender Michael Ihiekwe, midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and winger Alex Mighten stayed in the starting line-up.
The Stags made several changes from their 3-0 defeat against Harrogate Town on 19 November.
Defenders Kellan Gordon, Elliott Hewitt and Riley Harbottle came back into the side, while midfielder George Lapslie and forward Will Swan also started.
The game was not straightforward for the Owls and they started the game on the back foot with Mansfield coming close to an opener only 90 seconds into the game when Lapslie slipped a ball into the path of forward Swan who attempted to go round the keeper, however Wednesday got defenders back and smothered out the chance
Moments later Mansfied carved out another chance after Lapslie and Gordon played a quick one-two to release the full back who fired a dangerous ball into the box that keeper Dawson could only palm into the path of Atkins who was unable to steer home.
The chances kept coming for the Stags with Boateng and Atkins having dangerous shots with a much changed Wednesday side not looking very comfortable.
Eventually the deadlock was broken in the 34th minute when Lapslie deftly flicked Gordon’s inviting ball past the helpless Dawson in goal, prompting jubilant scenes from the nearly 4,000 travelling fans.
A below-par Wednesday were limited to only a couple of chances before the break with Will Vaulks’ long range effort proving the closest to levelling the scoreline.
After half time, Wednesday looked a much improved side and came close to equalising in the 59th minute when WIlks cut onto his left foot and found Gregory with his cross. However the veteran forward was unable to keep his effort down.
Mansfield should have found a second to consolidate their lead with a handful of chances coming their way. Closest to finding the net was the goalscorer Lapslie who fired over the bar when Quinn found the attacking midfielder with space in the box.
Concerned with his team’s failure to break the Stags down, Moore opted to bring on Barry Bannan and Michael Smith halfway through the second-half, replacing Lee Gregory and Mallik Wilks respectively.
The introduction of the attacking duo caused an instant impact when in the 78th minute Johnson’s cross was met by Smith who placed the ball beyond Pym and into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal.
Only six minutes later a trademark long ball by Bannan found Johnson who again played the ball across the box into the path of Smith who steered it home on the stretch to complete the turnaround.
Nigel Clough’s side had a great chance to force a replay deep into stoppage time when Hewitt’s long throw found its way to Maris in the box, but the midfielder blazed the ball over to jeers from the Wednesday faithful.
FULL TIME: SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 2-1 MANSFIELD TOWN
WEDNESDAY: Dawson, Hunt (Iorfa 64), Palmer, Ihiekwe (McGuinness 89), Johnson, Vaulks, Mighten, Dele-Bashiru, Wilks (Smith 64), Paterson, Gregory (Bannan 72).
UNUSED SUBS: Stockdale, Brown, James, Shipston, Glover.
MANSFIELD: Pym, Gordon (Wallace 90+), Hawkins, Harbottle (Perch 80), Hewitt, Maris, Quinn, Boateng, Lapslie, Swan (Oates 80), Akins.
UNUSED SUBS: Flinders, O’Toole, Hartigan, Law, Bowery, Gale.
REFEREE: Ollie Yates
ATTENDANCE: 13, 932
