Ben Waine, a New Zealand striker and Newcastle United fan, scored the winning goal as League One's bottom club Port Vale knocked Premier League side Sunderland out of the FA Cup, reaching the quarter-finals for the first time in 72 years. Waine celebrated by mimicking Alan Shearer's trademark single-arm salute in front of the travelling Sunderland fans, a gesture later retweeted by the Newcastle legend himself.
The goal came in the 26th minute from a corner, after Dajaune Brown mis-hit his shot, allowing Waine to head the ball over Sunderland goalkeeper Melker Ellborg. Earlier, Ellborg had made a remarkable headed clearance from a fierce back-pass by his own captain Luke O'Nien, narrowly avoiding an own goal. Joe Gauci, Port Vale's goalkeeper, was in superb form, saving several close-range efforts and being aided by the woodwork.
Sunderland manager Régis Le Bris acknowledged the difficult pitch conditions but refused to make excuses, saying: 'It levels everything, but it's not an excuse... Even with the conditions, I think we should have found a solution.' Port Vale manager Jon Brady expressed pride in his team's performance, adding: 'It hasn't really sunk in at the moment... 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!'
Waine, who also scored the winner in the previous round against Bristol City, now faces a packed schedule with a relegation battle, an FA Cup quarter-final, and a World Cup with New Zealand. He said: 'To be involved in this game and score the winner is pretty special. I had been thinking about the Shearer celebration before the game.'
