For 45 minutes Sunday, tiny Yeading FC thought it could cause one of the greatest FA Cup shocks in history. But after 51 minutes, the part-timers couldn't hold off the professional might of Newcastle any longer and lost 2-0.
Craig Bellamy and Shola Ameobi scored for the Magpies.
PHOTO: AP
In Sunday's other match, Arsenal recovered from 1-0 down against Football League Championship side Stoke to win 2-1 at Highbury.
It took six matches for Yeading to reach the third round of the FA Cup, the world's oldest knockout competition open to all English soccer clubs. When it drew Newcastle, ranked six leagues above, it was the biggest gap between teams ever in the FA Cup.
Captain David Clarke led out a team that cost nothing and which included painters and decorators, a welfare fraud officer, a delivery driver and a computer analyst.
Newcastle's second-string side was still worth 30 million pounds (US$56 million).
Yeading defied its 20,000-1 odds of winning the tournament for 45 minutes.
At Highbury, the gap wasn't as stark -- Stoke is ranked 31 places below -- but the visitors shocked the Gunners when they took the lead in first-half injury time.
John Hartson scored the winner as Celtic beat Old Firm rival Rangers 2-1 in a third round match.
Hartson, who this week signed a two-year contact extension, netted in the 77th minute at close range. Chris Sutton scored the opener in the 37th minute through the legs of Rangers goalkeeper Stefan Klos.
Rangers equalized through Fernando Ricksen a minute into the second half, taking advantage of poor Celtic defending.
Celtic is three points clear in the Scottish Premier League.
"I thought we had the better chances in the game and deserved to win it but Rangers were always a threat," Celtic manager Martin O'Neill said.
It was the first match between the two Scottish giants since last November.
FC Barcelona slumped to a 3-0 defeat against Villarreal and its lead in the league was cut to seven points.
Uruguay's Diego Forlan scored twice in the 18th-round match to inflict Barcelona's second loss of the season, and encourage immediate pursuers Real Madrid and Valencia that they can still overtake coach Frank Rijkaard's team in the title race.
Madrid downed crosstown rival Atletico 3-0 earlier in the day, courtesy of two goals by Ronaldo and another by Santiago Solari.
Palermo held defending league champion AC Milan to a goalless draw, dropping Milan four points behind leader Juventus as the Serie A neared its midpoint.
Juve, which saw its lead cut to two by Thursday's draw at Parma, restored its advantage by beating lightly regarded Livorno 4-2 at home on a pair of goals by Mauro German Camorenesi and clinched the so-called "Winter title" with one round remaining.
Juventus increased its point total to 43 points after 18 matches with next weekend's games marking the end of the first half of the season.
Udinese held third place with 34 points by beating Cagliari 2-0 at home while Inter Milan scored three goals in the final two minutes plus injury time to rally for a 3-2 home win over Sampdoria at San Siro. For Inter, which has drawn 12 of its 18 matches, it was its third straight victory and gave it undisputed control of fourth place, 13 points behind Juve
FC Porto drew Rio Ave 1-1 and missed a chance to become the league leader.
Rio Ave's Eric Gaucho scored in the 29th minute but Porto's Luis Fabiano headed an equalizer in the 72nd to leave the club in second place on 30 points, one behind leader Sporting.
Ten police officers were injured after rival fans rioted before a Greek first-division soccer match in central Athens on Sunday. The game between Greek powerhouse Olympiakos Piraeus and Panionios Athens was postponed.
Police said the riots erupted after more than 600 Olympiakos fans stormed the stadium, clashing with Panionios fans and anti-riot police.
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